A Siren's Treasure, A Disney's Treasure Planet Fanfiction
by Sairahiniel SakuraAeris1497
Summary: Jim Hawkins, an adventurous young man is living an ordinary life as a kitchen boy in Benbow Inn until a chance encounter with a special girl helps change his fate. Together, the two will journey together to find the greatest treasure of them all, all while falling in love. Rated T to be safe in later chapters.
1. First Meeting

Chapter 1: First Meeting

Long ago, men at sea had written legends about creatures far from their homelands. The creatures were full of wonder and magic and they were often women with animal-like features. Although the creatures were very beautiful and kind but very deceitful, the men could not be fooled and legend tells that the men escaped with their lives. Some say that sirens protect the riches if Treasure Planet, but that is only a legend that has not been discovered. In a time of peace in the waters of the land, there lived many sirens, male & female, but one would change the course of their traditions and history forever...

On a sunny-side, sandy beach not far from the sea was housed, a wooden inn that harbored many paying customers. Also in this inn lived a family, a mother and son to be exact. The son was 17 years old and was very handsome and kind, yet adventurous and he longed to go on adventures by himself to prove his worth. But, he was a delinquent and often got in trouble with the law, making his mother worry for his future. Nevertheless, mother and son loved one another even though they had been torn apart by the loss of the boy's father and because the boy grew up without a father's guidance, he didn't know how a fatherless family could function. The boy hated his father and always tried to find new ways to escape his home life, even if it meant going on adventures far from the shores he called home, and boy, would that change his life!

The boy started to walk along the sandy beach, kicking sand to and fro with his boot-covered feet as he stuck his hands in his pockets. The boy seemed upset about something and needed an escape, so he decided to take a short walk along the beach to clear his mind. As he kept walking, he noticed a small object upon the sand. The boy stopped and cupped his hands over his eyes, trying to make out what the object was until he saw a human hand, loud and clear. Starting off onto the beach with a fast power-walk, the boy ran with a sprint up the beach, almost tripping on his own feet. He ran until he screeched to a stop, kneeling down to see the human on land. To the boy, the figure on the sand was a human girl with her upper body on land and lower body in the water, so naturally, he thought at first that she was sunbathing. It wasn't until he touched her arm that he released that she was unconscious and had been for a while, but he also noticed that he saw the glimmer of a shining, blue tail.

'A Siren,' He gasped in his head, to himself, as he backed away, stumbling over himself in a comical way. However, he noticed she was harmless and unconscious, so he decided to do one thing and one thing only: Offer her help by taking her back to the inn. The boy took off his coat, wrapping it around her bare breasts and body before lifting her into his arms bridal-style. After getting her off the ground, he lifted himself from the ground and saw her sapphire tail fade away until it turned into two, long legs that hung limply over his arms. As the boy readjusted his burden, he looked to make sure no one followed him before he made his way back to the inn, constantly looking at the girl in his arms. The girl was most definitely a siren because of her tail and enchanting beauty. Never in his life had the boy been entranced by someone so fair. The girl had a petite hour-glass figure and long legs to show off large breasts that made even the boy doubt her existence, hair as rich brown as garden soil that was so long that she could barely sit on it, and skin that glowed light olive with a golden hue. The girl even wore a strange charm on a long, brass chain around her neck: The charm was a brass circular charm with the image of a female mermaid imprinted on it, along with a sapphire stone hanging from a small ring under the charm. The boy noticed, as he walked along the path, that the girl had a deep, scarred gash in her right leg, most likely from a stab wound by a sword. The boy knew that from the looks of this girl that she needed help and decided to make haste back to the inn, determined to find out where she came from and if she needed help.

The boy made it back just as the inn's activity began to wind down before a voice was heard from afar, "James Pleiades Hawkins! Where have you been?"

"Hey, Mom. How did your day go?"

"Don't 'Hey, Mom' me! You're in big trouble, young man!"

"Relax, okay? I'm not hurt and besides, you're making too much racket."

"Jim, who's the girl?"

"I found her on the beach. She's harmless and needs help."

"Did she ask you for help?"

"How could she? She was unconscious, but she definitely needs my help." The woman stared at the girl, pitying her, before the elder woman sighed and with a gentle hand in Jim's shoulder, she commanded, "Take her to your bedroom and I'll get the doctor if he hasn't gone home yet. Just make sure she's all right."

"I will and thanks."

"Anything for a guest." Jim's mother ran off to find the doctor while Jim treaded the stairs to get to his bedroom, still carrying the girl in his arms. The girl never woke up or stirred once ever since she was found and finally when Jim got her to the room, he laid her down on the bed gently before covering her up with a blanket. He then watched from the stairs, making sure no one harmed her as he saw his mother and the doctor approaching. "Right this way, Doctor." Jim's mother, Sarah, led the way as she and the doctor treaded the stairs. Jim followed the two adults as the doctor sat down in the wooden chair beside the bed, examining the unconscious girl, siren, meticulously as the two Hawkins watched. After careful examination, the doctor told the two that the girl would be fine but should stay bed-ridden for at least two days or until she was able to stand and move about. Mother and son agreed to the doctor's words as he continued the exam, until he saw the wound on thebgirl's leg, "This is no good, no good at all! This wound needs to be cleaned with soap and water at once!"

"NO!" Jim shouted before the glancing eyes of the adults peered at him as he stuttered, "Umm-I-Umm-I think disinfectant would be better for her. Any more water and she'll get a cold."

"Yes, there is a chance of hypothermia. Very well, Jimmie. May you get the disinfectant?"

"Yes, sir!" Jim ran off to get the burning liquid while Sarah laughed, "Children!"

"They're cute at any age until they become adults. One day, Jim will be on his own and then he'll have a family of his own."

"Let's hope it's not too soon. He would need to settle down first."

"His time will come when you least expect it, you'll see." At last, Jim came back with the liquid as the doctor poured it into a cloth and applied it to the girl's flesh, not once hearing her wince or scream in pain. After he had fully examined the girl and cleaned up after himself, the doctor left to go home as Sarah called out, "Be sure to tell your family we said hi!"

"I will, Sarah, and one day, my family will see the inn themselves. Goodbye!"

"Bye!" Sarah called out as she waved before she shut the door, locked it, and followed Jim upstairs as she asked, "All right, what was that all yelling about? Don't lie through your teeth because a mother knows." Jim sighed before he admitted, "Okay, I can tell you behind closed doors, but why just tell you when I can show you?"

"Show me what?"

"You'll see!" Jim ran down the hall with his mother following close behind, awaiting the secret that Jim was about to show. Jim filled up a mug full of water and raised it over the girl's long, bare legs as Sarah yelled, "Are you crazy? You'll give her a cold!"

Jim clicked his tongue before he remarked, "Ah, ah, ah! You followed me here and now you'll watch. Just look and listen." Jim raised the mug before he poured it's contents onto the girl's legs while Sarah watched before she hissed impatiently, "That's it! She's getting dried off and you're going to apologize to-"

"Look!" Jim pointed as Sarah gasped, seeing sapphire scales sprouting out from the girl's legs. The girl still remained unconscious even after all that and before Sarah could utter a sentence, the scales disappeared within a few seconds of water hitting it. When Sarah finally gained the words, she stuttered, "She's a-You found her as a-She's a siren like the legends say!"

"Yep. I didn't know until I pulled her outta the water, but she needs my help, siren or not, and I'm determined to help her. "

"Of course you are! Now, how's about we get some food in our bellies and get some sleep so we can decide what to do with her in the morning? We've had a long day and we need our strength."

"You won't get rid of her, will you?" Sarah ruffled her son's bangs as she soothed, "No, of course not! She'll be safe here and don't worry about her payment to stay here. When she's able, I'll see if I can get her a job here at the inn."

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best!"

"You better believe it!" The two laughed before Sarah departed downstairs to get some food for the two family members, but as she started down, she turned and watched Jim as he remained in the room. She became concerned as she asked, "Are you coming with me?"

"Yeah, but I just want to set up where I'll sleep. I don't want to move the girl."

"What about in one of the guest rooms? They won't mind."

"Nah! I guess I'll get some blankets and pillows and sleep on the floor. I'll be fine, promise!"

"You sure you'll be comfortable on the floor?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've slept down there before."

"We'll, if you insist. When you're done setting up, cone down immediately. Supper won't be but a few minutes."

"Yes, ma'am!" Sarah left to go rustle up some food while Jim grabbed a dark bedroll and a thin blanket, as well as a pillow and laid the bedroll beside the bed. Jim started making everything comfortable for himself as he smelled his Mom's cooking downstairs. When he was satisfied with his 'bed,' Jim ran downstairs to eat some of his Mom's food, filling his belly with her home-cooking before the two went separate ways for the night.  
Jim shut his door, leaving a crack open, before he settled down on the bedroll and covered himself up with the thin blanket.

As he drifted off to sleep, he heard a moaning noise and looking up, saw the girl waking up. The girl blinked her eyes and stretched before she scratched her head until she saw Jim and gasped, pulling the bed sheet around her tightly as Jim soothed her, "It's all right. I won't hurt you and I recently found you on the beach. Are you all right?"

"W-Who are you?" The girl trembled as Jim replied, "I'm Jim, Jim Hawkins and so you don't have to ask, you're in my Mom and I's inn."

"Is this the inn I think it is? Is this Benbow inn?"

"Yep, the one and only."

"Where I come from, this inn is a very good one. I've always wanted to come on land and try it out!"

"So you came on the land for your first time to see the inn? Sounds like a corny dream."

"Oh..." The girl sighed sadly before Jim comforted, "But, it's a nice dream too when you think about it. It's not everyday you see a siren washed up on the sand."

"You know what I am?"

"Yeah, my father's a sailor and I read adventure stories. I love adventures with action and treasure."

"Sounds like a good explanation and passion for adventure, at least to me...But, I don't really like sailors nor do I like their stinging weapons."

"Well, I may be an adventurer but I'm no sailor. You have nothing to fear as long as you're here."

"Thanks for saving me."

"What's your name? It must be beautiful for one so fair."

"Do you always flirt like this?"

"Maybe, but who's to say?" The girl laughed innocently at Jim's remark, causing the teenager to smile too before the girl replied, "My name's Linnea."

"Linnea? What a lovely name!"

"Thanks." The girl yawned after blinking her sapphire eyes before Jim chuckled, "You must be tired after such a long journey from home."

"It's better here than back home, but I am tired."

"I'll leave you alone so you can rest. Night, Linnea."

"Night, Jim." Linnea yawned before she settled back down onto the bed, her left hand dangling off the edge of the bed. As soon as she fell asleep, Jim grasped Linnea's hand and shut his eyes with content. Now, he knew her name but he didn't know where she came from or why she really came but something told the adventurer that there was more to the siren than met the eyes and when he found out, would he ever be the same? The more he wondered, the more he thought about Linnea and how her voice and body entranced him. Just thinking about her made him become soothed as he drifted off into a deep sleep.  
Now, it's up to you, as the reader, to decide if you want to continue reading this take, so just sit back, relax, and watch the tale of a man and a siren as they find the greatest treasure of them all!


	2. First Day on the Job

Chapter 2: First Day on the Job

The sun rose in the sky over Benbow Inn and sunlight poured inside the bedroom of Jim Hawkins, streaking the room with a golden haze. Linnea laid in the bed with her left hand dangling over the edge until light hit her delicate eyes. Linnea blinked several times and rolled over until she opened her sapphire orbs, rubbing the sleep from them as she sat up in bed, the lavender bed sheets losing grip from her bosom as she leaned forward in bed. As she looked around the room, she noticed this and quickly pulled them up with a blush on her face as she continued to look around Jim's room. But, minutes after waking up fully, she noticed Jim wasn't there and began to panic until a knock came at the door. "Come in!" Linnea called out as she faced the door, only to see Sarah entering.

"Ah, good morning, my dear. Sleep well last night?"

"Yes, ma'am." Sarah inspected the room before walking over to the window to open the curtains. As she did so, she noticed Linnea's scared facial expression and like any loving mother would, she soothed the girl, "You have nothing to fear, my dear. I'm Jim's mother, Sarah, and I own the inn."

"It's a real honor to be here and thank you for raising a savior. You and him saved my tail, literally!"

"No problem. So, has Jim treated you well?"

"Oh, yes. He's as good as gold, I should say."

"Good, good!"

"...Mrs. Hawkins?"

"Please just call me Sarah, but what is it, dear?"

"Where's Jim? He wasn't in the room when I woke up."

"He's cooking our breakfast, my dear, but he's all right."

"Another thing."

"What is it?"

"Will I have to leave if I can't pay?" Sarah laughed gently before embracing the girl, "Oh, no! Of course you won't leave, not when I could give you help here."

"I can work to pay off the debt, promise. I can cook basic meals and clean, or I could serve food. Or maybe-"

"Relax, dear! I shall find a job for you if you want it, but the doctor told us last night that you should stay in bed for at least a day or two before you move again. Are you sure you're able to walk or move?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am able and I can help."

"Well, I'll see what I can do," Sarah replied as she rose from the bed as she wrapped a sheet around Linnea and lead her down the hall, responding, "In the meantime, let's find you some clothes while you tell me your name. I'm afraid Jim hasn't told me yet."

"I'm Linnea."

"What a beautiful name, my dear!"

"Thank you."

"Also, tell me about why you came here. Jim only told me that you came to see the inn. Is this true?" Sarah started rummaging through an old closet as Linnea sat on the bed and replied, "Yes...I wanted to see it for myself, but I also wanted to get a job here. I'm an explorer, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"That's not the only reason, correct?" Linnea looked doubtful and fearful, almost as if she were a child in trouble with their parents, as Sarah uttered that sentence, her mind going back to dark memories as Sarah saw the expression and asked, "What's wrong, Linnea? You can tell me."

"Oh, it's nothing." Linnea brushed it off, trying her best to smile but finding it difficult as Sarah wrapped an arm around the Siren, "Please tell me because I'm willing to listen if you're willing to tell it." Linnea grinned before beginning, "I came not only to see the inn but to get away from my home. It's really bad back there."

"Why? What happened?"

"Before I continue, I must know something."

"Anything."

"Jim told me his father was a sailor and adventurer, and yet I don't see such a man. Is your husband gone?"

"...Yes, he is. He's been gone since Jim was 7."

"I'm so sorry and I offer my condolences."

"It wasn't your fault, my dear...but to be honest with you, Jim's father isn't dead."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it brings back such good memories."

"Do tell."

"I was young and beautiful then-"

"You still are!"

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"I met Jim's father, Leland, when I was young and we hit it off right away. I worked at a local restaurant and I served his father one night. Leland and his comrades, men, were visiting after their latest adventure. He told me that I was beautiful and after a few months of dating, we married and had Jim. Although Jim tried to please his father but was ignored, Leland really loved the boy very much but when Jim was 7, he decided that fatherhood wasn't for him, so he left and never came back. Honestly, I'd hit him over the head with a skillet and shout 'Get out, you blasted hellion' if he ever came back here again. It's not that I hate him, I really don't, but I wouldn't be comfortable with him trying to cozy back up here and act like nothing happened."

"I sympathize with you and I get it. You're not the only one with a screwed up life."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Can you keep a secret, Sarah?"

"Of course." Linnea sighed deeply before she told her tale, "When I was born, there were complications with the procedure and my mother passed away shortly after I came out. The doctors say it was a brain injury that killed her and not me but I don't believe that. I'M the reason she's dead."

"Oh, Linnea! No, don't go there!"

"Why? What if it's true? Father told me so before he left and never came back, same as Jim's dad."

"What happened?"

"Father blamed me for Mom's death, and he left after he had attacked me verbally. He never came back and I didn't blame him. I WAS A MURDERER AND I KILLED MY MOM!"

"No, Linnea! You did nothing wrong and your father's crazy if he blamed you for something you never did...If he did leave, then who raised you?"

"Ms. Merina...She was a middle-aged widow who lived next door to me and she raised me."

"Just curious, but how old are you?"

"17."

"Wow, same age as Jim. Sorry. Please continue."

"She raised me until marriage became part of my goal as a Siren. At age 16, Siren girls are expected to marry someone chosen by an older sibling, their parental guardians, or their parents. We have arranged marriages back home, but I want adventure and freedom, so I don't agree with the marriage tradition. I believe we should choose who we'll marry and find love in our time and place, however, my society didn't accept that answer and refused to listen to me. I'm only engaged but my fiancé is not one I'm pleased with even though he's rich and high in power in Siren society. I don't like him."

"Why?"

"Ever since day 1 of being engaged to him, he would...beat me and tell people it was an accident from me tripping or something." Sarah gasped as she covered her mouth, shaking her head as she exclaimed, "No! Don't let that be true, not to a precious gem like you! Oh, gosh! Did you tell your guardian?"

"Yes, and when I told her I wouldn't marry the man, she helped me escape my marriage. She once had a husband who loved her, but he died, so she believed that I should find love in my own ways...That's when I decided to come here to the inn, to escape my marriage and home. I can't go back there."

"And Jim and I won't let you! Does your fiancé have...powers or does he know your location?"

"No, he doesn't know human customs nor does he know I'd come here. Besides, only female Sirens have powers, but only a select few have clairvoyant gifts, including me. I have the gift of empathy and healing, meaning I can understand people's thoughts and emotions as if they were my own but I can also heal someone through my tears or body."

"Amazing!"

"Thank you."

"Now that that's done, how about we get you some clothes?...Nope, too dark!...Too light!...Oh, this shirt might do the trick. It'll show off your eyes well," Sarah remarked as she handed Linnea a sapphire shirt that came to the knees, because of it being loose, before tossing a pair of tan pants and black boots onto the bed as Linnea asked, "Do these pants belong to Jim?"

"They do, but they don't fit him anymore. They'll definitely fit you, though!"

"Thanks." Linnea quickly slid the clothes on before Sarah inspected the look and replied, "Beautiful, my dear! Absolutely beautiful!"

"Thanks and you're beautiful too."

"Oh, we'll, thank you. What a sweet girl! If only I had your smile and beautiful face, I'd be happy, but who cares what I think? Let's get that brown hair up and out of your face before Jim calls us down to eat." With that, Sarah gently brushed Linnea's beautiful, silky tresses before putting it into a braided bun, securing it with a simple strip of cloth like a hair tie. Satisfied with Linnea's new look, the two women hurried downstairs until they reached the kitchen as the sweet aroma of bacon and eggs filled the inn.

"Good morning, Jim."

"Good morning, Mom. Sleep well?"

"Yes, I did, dear. What about you?"

"The same. It was peaceful, especially with Linnea around." In that moment, Linnea shyly replied, "Morning, Jim."

"Morning, Linne-Whoa," Jim gasped as he looked at Linnea, her beautiful showing off with her hair pulled back while her body figure showed off very well with her new yet baggy clothes as Jim exclaimed, "Wow, you look amazing."

"Really? Thanks."

"No problem. Breakfast is almost ready, but please sit and make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks for cooking. As much as I hate to admit it, I've never had human cuisine before."

"Then, today's your lucky day. Although I'm only half the cook Mom is, I'm pretty sure my food will be good for your first time. What kind of food do you normally eat?"

"I eat kelp, sea grass, and other leafy greens under the sea."

"So, you've never tried meat?"

"No, but if I had the guts to come onto land by myself, I think I have the guts to try human food, even meat as long as it's not fish."

"You have nothing to fear. It's just eggs, which are chicken eggs, and bacon or pig."

"That's good to know, and I wanna thank you for everything you've done for me thus far."

"No problem." Jim continued checking on the eggs and bacon while Linnea and Sarah sat down, getting ready to start their day with breakfast. Linnea kept staring at Jim with a gentle gaze upon her face until Jim placed a plate in front if her, smiling, "Here you are! Eat up before it gets cold and eat as much as you'd like." Linnea smiled back before she picked up her fork, after watching Sarah and Jim do so, and took a bite of an egg, salvo ring the taste as Sarah asked, "How is it?" Linnea continued to chew until she swallowed and grinned, "It's really good, actually. Probably the best human food I've ever tasted and it reminds me of my kelp casserole."

Jim smirked before he replied, "Well, as I said before, eat as much as you'd like. There's plenty to go around."

"Thanks..."

"You're welcome." Linnea gazed at Jim with her sapphire orbs and smiled as Jim smiled back at her, his handsome face bringing on a blush upon the Siren's cheeks as they ate in peace.

As soon as breakfast was over, Sarah, Jim, and their new employee, Linnea made preparations for the inn before guests started to arrive. Sarah handed Linnea an apron as she told her the ground rules: No being rude, no arguing with a customer, find out things you don't know immediately, etc. as well as letting her know that if she needed to rest, Sarah would take over the Siren's shift, to which the girl replied, "I appreciate your offer, but I think I'll be fine. I can manage."

Lunch and dinner service at the inn was very stressful as the cooks tried to keep up with the orders while Jim, Sarah, and Linnea tried to run out the meals in a quick yet patient manner. After stressful hours of running in and out if the kitchen, the dinner service started to wind down as everyone started to leave to go home or stay in their rooms. Only Dr. Doppler remained in the inn's dining hall, eating his meal of kibble while Jim brought out a hot meal for his mom and guest. Doppler was very interested in Linnea as he examined her, "So, Sarah tells me that you're new here, right?"

"Yes, sir...Mr.-Umm-"

"Doppler, Dr. Doppler."

"Doppler...Nice to meet you. I'm Linnea, just Linnea."

"Tell me, are you human or alien in a human form? I'm a doctor-well astronomist really-Well, I'm very observant too-"

"I'm neither."

"Wait, what?" Before Doppler could ask another question, Linnea cuffed her trousers up and took the water from her drinking cup, sprinkling it onto her leg to reveal blue, shining scales as Doppler gasped, "She's a-That impossible-They're only legends-"

"Legends come true and in plain sight, Doctor." Jim remarked as he handed Linnea a towel to wipe her leg dry while Doppler exclaimed, "Do you know what this means? If people know she's a siren, they'll expect her to take them to Treasure Planet. Legend says that-"

"Sirens are the key to the greatest treasure of them all. I know because I read those stories long ago when I was a kid, but come on, Doppler! No one's gonna know, ever! She'll be safe here, I swear!"

"You better make sure. If someone, especially a pirate, comes after her, you better be ready to defend her." Doppler replied uneasily as Jim chuckled, "Relax, she's safe here and if anyone wants her, they'll go through me."

"I'll have none of that nonsense! I won't watch you get hurt!"

"I'm not a kid anymore, so relax, Mom!"

"She's right, Jim and please don't talk to her that way. She cares for you and so do I. If you or any of you were to get hurt because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'd rather die than have someone get hurt because of me."

"Hey, relax. No one's gonna hurt you and none of us will get hurt, I'll guarantee that." Linnea embraced Jim tightly as she whispered, "Thanks, Jim. You always have the right words for every situation and you always cheer me up." Although he wasn't very sentimental, Jim returned the embrace as he smirked, "No problem." Afterwards, Doppler left to get back to his lab while Jim, Linnea, and Sarah departed for bed. Jim preferred the floor again even though Linnea insisted she'd sleep on the floor instead, but Jim would rather have her comfortable and happy than aching and upset. Once again, Linnea's hand dangled over the bedside, making her and Jim grasp hands again as they slept. Linnea's image danced through Jim's head as he slept, her petite, beautiful form entrancing him and giving him thoughts beyond his wildest dreams. Her image soothed him to sleep as did his image in Linnea's head, making her dream pleasant things about the rebellious teenager. The two slept with content and pleasant dreams as a new day dawned for them and maybe one day, something would change both their lives forever...


	3. Map of Change & Danger

Chapter 3: Map of Change & Danger

** Hello fans, sorry I haven't written in so long. I'm using scenes from the actual movie from now on, so I'm giving credit to the creators of Treasure Planet in this chapter. I'm NOT making a profit off their work, so please remember that I'm NOT plagiarizing. Also, please excuse me for spelling mistakes. I promise to fix them as soon as possible. Other than that, please enjoy and review! :) **

Things seemed normal at the Benbow Inn, despite the fact that a siren was living among the humans. Linnea had been working at the inn for about a week and a half, and she was already liking her job. It definitely helped her forget about her fiancé and her older brother, and it definitely helped her meet Jim, a young man she grew quite fond of. Even though Dr. Doppler knew Linnea's secret and was interested in studying about her and her kind, he remained silent about it and decided to wait before testing on her. Sarah even grew quite fond of the siren, going so far as to feed, clothe, and treat Linnea as if she were one of the family. Everything seemed quite normal, until Jim found the map to Treasure Planet; that's when the true journey between mermaid and man began...

Jim had once again been caught illegally surfing on a flying hovercraft and was once again escorted to the inn by the police. Linnea thought that Jim should be allowed to surf because that was the only thing he was really good at, but she kept quiet about it. Sarah was disappointed, as always, and scolded Jim for getting arrested again:

"Jim, I can't believe you got arrested again!"

"Mom, relax. I'm not in jail, so it's fine."

"No, it's not fine! It's bad enough that I have to run the inn by myself, but now I have to worry about you. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I'm not in prison yet, so stop worrying about me. Just relax."

"Jim," Sarah sighed as a customer shook her glass, "Mrs. Hawkins! My drink please!"

"I'll be with you in a minute...Jim, I just don't want you to throw your life away..." Jim seemed crushed by her words as he cleared away the tables, cleaned up the dirty dishes, and headed towards the roof, Linnea following close behind. As Jim and Linnea got to the roof, they heard Sarah talking to Doppler about Jim. It was 'Jim's been doing this illegal thing,' 'Jim's been doing that illegal thing,' or ' I don't know what to do, Doppler. He'll end up just like his good-for-nothing father.'

The whole thing made Linnea feel sorry for Jim, and yet she kinda agreed with Sarah. Jim was getting into an awful lot of trouble, and he would be thrown in jail if he got caught again; she didn't want that to happen, so she had to convince him to stop. Linnea watched Jim sit on the roof, throwing pebbles from the building, before she asked, "Jim?"

Jim stopped throwing pebbles as he looked at Linnea and replied, "Yeah, Linnea?"

"May we talk?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I think your mom's right. You're getting into a lot of trouble and you need to stop."

"Not you too-"

"But...I also think that you're NOT going to end up like your father, Leland. You can make the choice to not become like him, and it's all up to you."

"How do you know about my father?"

"Your mom told me the story. Honestly, he sounds like a total jerk."

"...Yeah, I can see why. He was kinda smug and unreliable...But, how do you know I won't end up like him?"

Linnea cupped Jim's face in her delicate hands as she soothed, "You're different, Jim. You cherish human life and you live it to the fullest. Any other man walking by me when I was unconscious would use me like an object or vessel for lust. But, you saved my life and cared for me. I will always be thankful for that moment on the beach."

"Don't mention it, Linny...I just wanna get out of here. I'm tired of people telling me what to do, where to go...I just want freedom where I can do what I want, fall in love and marry who I choose in my own time, have children, and settle down in a house by the sea."

"That's a good dream, and I hope it comes true."

"Oh, believe me...It's already happening." Jim and Linnea remained on the roof until they both saw a flying aircraft spiral down and crash near the inn. A bright light flashed as flames burst from the aircraft, injuring the driver inside. Jim and Linnea looked at one another before they leapt from the roof and ran to the fallen aircraft. Once they got to the burning vehicle, they saw an old, turtle climb out groggily as he clutched a bronze orb close to his chest. He wore a black hood over his face, seemed very elderly yet tough, and looked the hybrid between a turtle and a human man. He was also very injured as Jim and Linnea came to his aid.

"Sir, are you okay?" Jim asked as he grabbed the man, carefully helping him to his feet as the turtle collapsed over and over again like a drunk man. Linnea helped Jim as she asked, "Is he gonna be all right?"

"I'll be fine, missy...Just get me to shelter." The elderly turtle replied as Jim and Linnea carried him to the inn. As Sarah continued her rant about Jim, she and Doppler jolted upright when Jim and Linnea burst through the door with the injured turtle. Jim replied, "Mom, get him a chair!"

Sarah quickly grabbed her chair and helped the turtle sit down while Linnea hurried to the kitchen to fix a glass of water for the turtle. Jim and Doppler quickly locked the door and watched over the man while Linnea helped the turtle drink the water; she never let her hand leave the glass as she served the water to the unexpected, injured guest, who was more than grateful for her and Jim's help. The turtle finally caught his breath as Linnea asked him, "Hello, sir, I'm Linnea and this is Jim, Sarah, and Dr. Doppler. We rescued you."

"What a lovely name, my dear...Thanks for saving me."

"Kind sir, what's your name?"

"Billy...Bones."

"Billy, think very carefully. Who did this to you?" The turtle said nothing, but he took out the bronze orb instead and handed it out to Jim, who just stared at the object in confusion and curiosity. The turtle started to breath in short, quick gasps as he said, "Well, go on. Take it, sonny...But, beware the cyborg."

Jim took the orb from the turtle and as he did so, the turtle smiled weakly before he breathed for the last time. Doppler checked for a pulse, but it was too late. Billy was gone. Linnea placed her hand over her mouth as she tried to hold back tears, but they rolled down her delicate, rosy cheeks as she cried for Billy's death. Jim noticed this and held her against him as he soothed her, threading his strong digits through her silky, brown tresses to comfort her. Sarah and Doppler quickly covered Billy with a sheet from a bed upstairs, removed the body, and came back to see if Linnea was okay.

Most people cry when they see dead people or when something is too much for them, and for Linnea, this was more than she could handle. After a moment of crying and silence for the poor turtle alien, everyone calmed down enough to try to figure out what the orb was. Just as the group was about to open it, a deafening bang was heard from outside the front door. Jim quickly hid the orb in his coat pocket and tried to protect everyone else while several pirates burst through the door. They kept screaming, "Find it! Find the orb!" They were shoving Jim and the others out of the way as they ransacked the inn, searching high and low for the bronze orb, currently in Jim's pocket. Because the pirates were too preoccupied with finding the orb, Jim and company took this opportunity to escape. They all hurried out of the inn and away to a safe place, but not before they watched the pirates blow up the inn. Everyone seemed shocked by this sudden, dangerous incident, but Sarah more so; her home and place of business had been completely destroyed. She would need lots of money to repair the building, and that was something she and Jim didn't have. With that, the four escaped to a safe place, in this case, Doppler's home.

Doppler and Jim sat Sarah down in a comfy chair by the fire as Linnea draped a warm blanket over the woman . Doppler comforted her to the best of his ability, " I'm so sorry about the inn, Sarah, truly I am...The old, Benbow Inn has burnt to the ground." Sarah clutched the blanket around her tightly as she closed her eyes in sorrow. Linnea rubbed the woman's shoulders as Jim opened his mouth to try to comfort his mom but couldn't find the words.

Jim walked away and started towards the table with the bronze orb on it as Doppler looked in Jim's direction. Jim started fiddling with the orb, mashing all the circles on it while he turned the orb like a Rubik's cube. Doppler stared as Jim fiddled with the object, "Strange that it was over a little sphere. The markings baffle me. Unlike anything I've ever encountered...Even with my expert experience and superior intellect, it would take me years to unlock its-Hey!" Jim looked up and around the room as a green light erupted from the orb, showing different planets and such as everyone neared close to Jim. Everyone looked around before Doppler replied, "This is a map," and as the group looked at the map, Doppler spotted a small planet and adjusted his glasses, "Wait! Wait! Wait! This is us: the planet, Montressor." Doppler touched the planet and the map flashed before it moved around, showing off different landmarks and planets as Doppler pointed and exclaimed, "That's the Metrolatic cloud!...Ooo! The Coral Galaxy!...The Misinger's Cross!...The Carralabyss!...Wait, what's this? It-It's-"

"Treasure Planet." Jim interrupted as Doppler widened his eyes in awe and amazement, "NO!"

"That's Treasure Planet!" Jim repeated as Linnea smiled and exclaimed, "It is, guys! You're right! It is Treasure Planet."

"You mean it's true? The loot of a thousand worlds?!" Doppler asked as THE Treasure Planet was shown to the group on the map in bright green and gold. "You know what this means?!" Doppler asked.

"It means...that all that treasure is a boat ride away." Jim answered as he threw the orb in his hand while Doppler continued, "This means that whoever brings back the treasure would hold an eternal place atop the pantheon of explorers! He'd be able to experience-Whoo! What just happened?" Doppler gasped as the map shut itself off.

Jim stared at the bronze ball as he answered, "Mom, this is it. This is the answer to all our problems!"

Sarah shook her head and grasped her forehead as she scolded, "Jim, There is absolutely no way-"

"But, remember all those stories?"

"That's all they ever were. Stories."

"Mom, with that treasure, we could rebuild the Benbow a hundred times over!" Linnea nodded her head in agreement as she answered, "Sarah, he's right. That treasure would make you rich for life! I should know because I'm a siren, and sirens are rumored to be the guardians of Treasure Planet. We know the way without a map, and I could lead Jim there and back safely."

"See? She agrees with me. I think you should let us go."

"Come on, Sarah. Do it for Benbow, for us, for you."

Sarah grasped her head again as she replied, "Wh-Well, this is just-Oh! Delbert, would you explain how ridiculous this is?"

Doppler cleared his throat and stood perfectly upright as he answered, "It's totally preposterous...Perusing the entire galaxy alone." Sarah smiled as she grinned at the two teenagers, "Now at last, we hear some sense!" Jim rolled his eyes and looked defeated while Linnea looked defeated and put a hand on Jim's shoulder.

"That's why I'm going with you." Doppler smiled as he grabbed a medical bag while Sarah shouted, "Delbert!" Jim turned around and smiled as he looked at Linnea, who was also smiling as she jumped up and down, clapping her hands. Doppler roamed around the room, stuffing things in his bag as he muttered, "I'll use my safety expense and expertise. I'll crew a ship-"

"You're not serious!" Sarah sighed as Doppler leapt over to her and explained, "All my life I've been waiting for an opportunity like this, and here it is screaming," Doppler dropped his bag for a moment as he started doing a victory dance, causing Linnea to giggle as he chanted, "Go, Delbert! Go, Delbert! Go-"

"Okay! Okay! Okay! You're all grounded!" Sarah shouted before Jim called out to her, "Mom, look!... I know that I keep messing everything up, and I know that I let you down," Sarah started to calm down as Jim continued, "But, this is my chance to make it up to you. I'm gonna set things right."

Sarah looked down at her son and sighed in defeat and guilt as Doppler called her, "Sarah, if I may-" Sarah and Doppler walked away from Jim and Linnea while Doppler responded, "You said yourself, you 'tried everything.' There are much worse remedies than a few character-building months in space."

"Are you saying this because it's the right thing or because YOU really wanna go?"

"I really, really, really, really, really want to go...and it's the right thing." Sarah sighed in defeat and threaded her fingers through Jim's bangs as she said, "Jim, I don't wanna lose you."

Jim grabbed Sarah's hands as he answered, "Mom, you won't. I'll make you proud."

"We'll, there we are then," Doppler replied as he stood in between Sarah and Jim while Linnea smiled and rolled her eyes, "Way to ruin the moment, Doppler." Doppler nodded as he made his way to the window, "We'll make preparations at once! Jim, my boy, soon we'll be off to the Space Port."

"And I'll go too!" Linnea replied as Jim smiled and grabbed her shoulders, "No, my dear Linny. You must stay here to take care of Mom."

"But, Jim. I can lead you and Doppler to Treasure Planet faster than that map can! I also have powers too, so I can help you!"

"Sorry, but I can't risk you getting hurt. What if I lost you, just as we've lost the inn?...I can't risk losing you." Linnea sighed in defeat as she cupped Jim's face and smiled weakly, "...Okay, I understand, Jim. I'll stay behind and look after Sarah."

"That's my blue siren," Jim grinned as he kissed Linnea affectionately on her forehead, smoothing out her brown hair before he said, "Well, Doppler, it's settled. We're going to Treasure Planet."


	4. Welcome Aboard!

Chapter 4: Welcome Aboard!

Hello, it's me again. I will try my best to get as close to the scenes in the film without plagiarizing. I haven't seen the film since I was little, so please bear with me if I mess up or spell anything wrong. I hope you enjoy and to you, WaterBendingQueen88, you were right...Enjoy. :)

Linnea woke up extra early to stare out the window and think. She couldn't get any sleep because she dreamed of losing Jim, and he wouldn't let her go with him on the journey. She didn't know why, but she felt she needed to be with Jim to help him or save him if it came to that. She stared out the window until a voice called out, "Can't sleep, my dear?"

Linnea turned around and gasped lightly before she realized it was only Sarah. Linnea sighed in relief as she answered, "Yeah, you're right...I can't get your son out of my head."

"Oh, really?"

"It's not fair! Jim and Doppler get to go on this trip and I have to stay here like a whiny, handkerchief-waving gal who bids the men ado when they get on the ship...I'm not that kind of girl, Sarah. No offense to you or other women."

"None taken...Just curious: Why do you wanna go?"

"Jim saved my life, and I want to repay him for everything he's done for me thus far. I want to repay the debt by helping him get to Treasure Planet safely...I can't let him go."

"But, Linnea, dear...If you really love Jim enough to let him go and he loves you back, he'll return to you. Jim's a man of his word."

"I know, but...I'm an adventurer, always have been and always will be. I have to go with him to help him. And you're right, Sarah, he's a man of his word. He's more different than my fiancé, or any other man I've ever met."

Sarah pondered Linnea's words before she gasped, "Wait a minute! You-You fancy my son, don't you?"

"Umm-Well, I-"

"It's true, isn't it? You love him, don't you?" Linnea remained silent yet shocked, trying to find the right words before she confessed, "Yes, I do. I know I've only known him for almost two weeks, and I know it's not that long...But, Jim's different and I can't let him go. I have nothing and no one to go back to except abuse and betrayal back home...You must understand, Sarah, he's my guardian angel and I'm his. You must understand."

"I do, Linnea...That's why I'm gonna help you."

Linnea gasped and widened her eyes in surprise as she beamed, "You will?!"

"Of course. Follow me, and I'll help with your disguise. Doppler might have some old clothes to fit you." Sarah wrapped a comforting arm around Linnea as she lead the siren down some dimly lit corridors, until they made it to a large room. Sarah made her way to the closet as she pulled out a shirt and several rolls of gauze. Sarah examined Linnea as she explained, "Now, there will be men, pirates I should say, with lurking eyes. You must act, dress, even smell like a man. You can't chicken out of anything, and you must be as filthy as possible."

"I can do anything they want me to do, Sarah. Their wish is my command."

"To be a man, you must think and dress like one."

"What's with the medical gauze?"

"This is to cover up your...'womanly pillows.' Men don't have large marshmallows like that, and if they do...I'm not even gonna go into it. Now, hold still while I apply the gauze to you." Linnea nodded her head as she peeled off her blue shirt and put her arms out like a tree. Sarah took this as a signal to wrap the gauze around Linnea's large breasts, completely covering the large D-Cups until they looked like the chest on a wrapped mummy. After Linnea's breast looked to be A-Cup, Sarah gave Linnea a plain, white shirt and a tan trench coat to put on. Since Linnea was already wearing a pair of boots and pants that once belonged to Jim, she really didn't need a lot to complete her disguise. Sarah then handed Linnea a brown leather belt to put around her waist.

"There are no swords on this belt, right?"

"No, but you need items to defend yourself. Why don't you like swords?" Linnea rolled up her tan pants to reveal a scar on her leg as she explained, "I don't like swords; I hate their stinging pain. I was stabbed with one when I was 13 and I've hated them and pirates ever since."

"Does it hurt still?"

"No, but it left a scar."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about. There's a pistol with some ammo in it, several throwing knives-"

"Like starfish or ninja stars!"

"Yes...Finally, I included a switchblade. Doppler gave it to me as a wedding present." Linnea pulled out the switchblade and flipped it, almost as if she had done this sort of thing before. It had a red leather handle with the initials 'S.H' embroidered on it, a shining, silver blade, and a sapphire hanging from a silver loop at the bottom of the mechanism. Linnea then flipped the switchblade back and returned to finishing her disguise, until she happened upon the trench coat Sarah gave her. She examined the trench coat before she asked, "Does Doppler wear this at all? It's definitely not his style."

"Oh, Leland and I bought that for him as a gift. I've known Doppler ever since I met Leland; they were good friends."

"I see," Linnea smiled before she put the jacket on and buttoned up the first few buttons to hide her weapons and...perfectly hidden cleavage. To finish Linnea's look, Sarah braided Linnea hair and pinned the rest of it up before she put a brown hobo hat on her head, completely covering her feminine locks. After examining the disguise, the two agreed that Linnea was ready to sneak aboard the ship while masquerading as a man. Before Linnea left, Sarah gave Linnea a backpack as she began ranting, "Take this pack. It contains extra food, water, medicine, anything you-"

"Thank you, Sarah. I'll use it well."

"...Now remember, focus on getting you, Jim, and Doppler back here safely!"

"I will, I promise. I know the way there and back without a map; all sirens do. We'll be back before you know it."

"One more thing!"

"Yes, Sarah?" Sarah breathed deeply to calm down before she explained, "Don't let the pirates or men know that you're a woman, let alone a siren. If they find out you're siren, they'll force you to take them to Treasure Planet."

"They're not gonna know."

"I'm serious, keep your legs away from water!"

"We're gonna be out in space and near the water." Linnea grinned before Sarah huffed playfully, "You know what I meant." Linnea smiled genuinely at Sarah before she hugged the woman, "Take care, Sarah. We'll be back soon."

"I'll be waiting for you, and you return, I'll cook a large meal fit for ten kings!"

"We will return, I promise." Sarah released from the hug before she exclaimed, "Jim and Doppler are still asleep. You better get to the docks before they arrive...Oh, and while you're at it, come up with a good disguise name like 'Bob' or 'Jack.'"

"Okay, I'm gone. Bye!"

"Bye!" With that, Linnea shouldered her pack and made it to the docks. On the way, she thought to herself, 'Names, what name should I go by?...Jack? No, almost all pirates use that name!...George? No, too proper for a ruffian!...Hmm...'

It wasn't long before Jim and Doppler caught up with Linnea, thinking she was a fellow sailor.

'Oh, barnacles! My cover's blown!' Linnea thought to herself as Doppler greeted, "Greetings, sir. Are you heading to the docks?"

'Maybe my cover's not blown after all. They really think I'm a man,' Linnea thought in her head before she answered Doppler in the best male voice she could muster, "Yes, I'm joining the new ship. Finally, I can get some real adventure out of this!"

"What's your name, sailor?" Jim asked as Linnea answered quickly, "Zack, the name's just Zack."

"Cool name! Well, I'm Jim Hawkins and this is my comrade, Dr. Doppler."

"I've heard of Dr. Doppler. A doctor and astronomist, right?" Doppler's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Yes, I'm both, sir...He knows who I am! Finally, I get some recognition!"

"Well, shall we go? Captains don't like their crew to be late." Linnea replied as Jim and Doppler answered, "Yep, we should. To the docks!" As they walked Jim started talking to Doppler on a man-to-man level, "Doppler, I think it was wrong to leave Linnea behind. She really did wanna go on this trip, but I couldn't risk losing her like we did Benbow."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Jim, my boy. She and Sarah are waiting for us, just hoping we come back with our lives and the goods."

"Yeah, waiting...Linnea's definitely not that kind of girl. She likes adventure and I wish I didn't have to tell her no, but I don't want her to get hurt."

"So, you have a girl back home?" Zack asked as Jim smirked, "Oh, no! I like the girl and all, but I'm too much of a coward to tell her that. What about you? Why're you going on this trip?"

"...Nasty pirates ransacked my friend's house, looking for some bronze orb. I believe it was a map, they said?"

"You too?"

"Yep. I had been bunking in with my friend and she works so hard to provide for her family. Then, I protected her and any others with my life to get to safety; we watched the house blow up. I plan on getting the money to help her get back on her feet and to help me get back on my own feet too."

"I see. Same sort of thing happened to my mom, Doppler, Linnea, and me. Pirates killed a turtle for the bronze orb, or map, and they ransacked our inn, blowing it up when they couldn't find the orb. The old Benbow is gone, so I plan on going on this trip to make my mom and Linnea proud, but I also want to help rebuild the inn."

"It's a noble dream and goal. And, I think your mom and that Linnea girl would be proud of you."

"Thanks, Zack."

"No problem." With that, the three traveled together and bonded as they made their way to the docks.

The docks looked more like a trading plaza in Greece than a dock. Ships with white sails were lined up everywhere and the sight was enchanting to Jim and Zack, or Linnea. As the two teens looked around, Doppler called out to them and pointed out a ship, the ship they were to get on. A burly man sat on a wooden stool while he wrote on a barrel filled with papers. He never looked up but only said, "Next," in a booming voice.

"I guess that's me, guys." Zack, Linnea, smirked as he strode up to the man writing. The man asked quickly, "Name?"

"Zack, just Zack."

"Age?"

"17."

"Skills?"

"I'll do anything the captain asks me to do: Cooking, cleaning, knife-throwing, and shooting."

"With what?"

"A pistol, what else?"

"Well, sonny boy. Welcome aboard the RLS Legacy! NEXT!"

"Thank you, sir." Zack replied as 'he' went aboard the ship. As Zack walked up the planking stairs, the wind blew and almost knocked off his hat, revealing his true identity as Jim stared in both shock and anger. Jim stared until the man shouted, "I don't have all day, boy! Name?"

"Jim Hawkins."

"Age?"

"17."

"Skills?"

"I can fight when prompted, cook, clean, anything. I'll do anything."

"Welcome aboard! NEXT!" Doppler went next as he replied, "Hello, sir. I commissioned this ship for Jim and I."

"Ah, you're Doppler! Welcome aboard! NEXT!" Doppler scurried aboard while Jim grabbed Zack by the shoulder and said, "Zack, may we talk?"

"Sure." Jim led Zack to a small closet on the ship as he hissed, "Doppler, you get over here too...NOW!" Doppler hurried over to Jim and Zack as he shut the closet door and tuned on the lamp inside the room. Jim grabbed the hobo hat and threw it to the floor as he shouted, "Linnea!"

"Hi, Jim."

"What the heck are you doing here?! Are you trying to get yourself killed or arrested?"

"I wanna help, please. I have powers and stuff, so I can-"

Jim grabbed Linnea's arm as he shouted, "No! You're going back home and that's final!" Linnea tore away from Jim's grip as she retorted, "What home? What home do I really have to go back to, the sea?! I can't go back home to the sea and I'm not going back to Sarah."

"Wait a minute, why can't you go home to the sea? I thought you came on shore of your own free will."

"I did, but home's not what it used to be. I'm met with betrayal and pain everywhere I go."

"What happened?" Linnea sighed and tried to hold back her tears as she said, "We have arranged marriages back home; I'm engaged and have been since I was 16...But, I don't agree with the marriage laws, so I ran away. If I go back, I don't know what they'll do to me."

"Linny, I'm so sorry...I didn't know."

"It's not your fault, so don't worry about it." Jim tried to comfort Linnea as best he could as he soothed, "Shh. There, there," Jim began as he smoothed out Linnea's hair, applying kisses to it while Doppler watched the tender scene in an awkward manner. Jim rested his chin on Linnea's head before he asked, "I'm curious to know something. Does Mom know you did this?"

"Yes, she helped me."

"I'll have a talk with her when we come back...Another thing: Why do you wanna come along?"

"...I'm an adventurer and explorer; I've always been one since I was little. Coming on land was an adventure that I journeyed alone, but if I go to Treasure Planet with you and Doppler, I can help rebuild Benbow and I can do the right thing. I'm not doing this journey just for me, I'm doing it for all of you because you treat me better than my own people. For that, I'm grateful to you."

Jim applied another kiss, this time to Linnea's forehead, before he sighed, "I can't believe I'm saying this but...I've been thinking really hard and quick about this...and I think you deserve a chance to prove your worth. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, Jim! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I won't let you down!"

"I know you won't, beautiful. Now, put that hat back on and act like a man...By the way, you're doing so good with your disguise."

"Thanks. I'm quite the actor." Linnea replied as she lowered her voice again. The three hopped out of the closet and began walking around the ship until a voice called out, "Dr. Doppler, right?"

Doppler turned around and stared at a beautiful cat-human female hybrid as she stood proud and strong. She wore a blue captain's uniform with black boots and white pants; she had red, short hair, yellow eyes with sea green pupils, and a slender, cream cat figure. Honestly, she looked more like a beautiful yet strict admiral/general yet she seemed to have a kind side to her as she invited the trio into her cabin.

She even conversed with Doppler as she made fun of his spacesuit, but then she returned to her drill sergeant demeanor as he told her about the bronze map. Amelia and her first mate quickly hid the orb in her cabin before she sat in her chair and talked to her first mate, Mr. Arrow. Arrow was a rock giant who looked very buff, stern, and altogether frightening to Linnea, but what she didn't know was that he had a soft spot. He kept looking ahead at the wall as Amelia discussed about the crew members, "Let me make this as...monosyllabic as possible. I...don't much care for this crew you hired. They're- how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee."'

"A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots,' ma'am."

"There you go - poetry."

Doppler adjusted his glasses as he assured Amelia, "I'm sure they'll be fine, Captain Amelia."

"They better! I don't stand for whiny, good-for-nothings with no discipline or structure and I don't tolerate failure, incompetence, or rudeness. Do I make myself quite clear, Doppler?"

"Yes, ma'am. Quite clear."

"Good...Now, I understand that your comrade, Jim, here is still a minor, correct?"

"Yes."

"Therefore, I will appoint him as a cabin boy for the time being. He will receive tutelage from our cook, John Silver, and he will remain a cabin boy until I give him another position."

"Understood, Captain." Jim's face contorted into a face of shock and denial as he retorted, "Wait! Wait! Wait! Look, cat lady, I didn't sign up to join the crew to be your waiter! I came for adventure."

"Then why'd you sign up at all? Young man, for future reference, don't sign up for sailing with a crew if you can't handle a simple task."

"Shut it and spit out a fur ball, yarn-twirler! You know nothing about me!"

"Don't talk to her that way, pipsqueak! Captain's the best buccaneer in all of space and I'll have no bad talk about her on this ship, little princess!" Arrow bellowed as he stared down at Jim, ready to kick him in the pants as Jim taunted, "You wanna go? Let's go!"

"I'm ready when you are, rat!"

"Jim, enough!" Zack shouted as he, she, got in between the two men, pushing Jim back. Arrow calmed down and gave the boy, girl, a strange look while Amelia observed the scene. Zack, Linnea, caught her breath before she replied, "If it makes you feel any better, Jim, I'll also work as a cabin boy. I'll receive Silver's tutelage too."

"Are you willing to work?" Amelia asked as Zack, Linnea, replied with a soldier's salute, "I will do anything the captain asks me to do. If you want me to swab the deck, it's clean as a whistle. If you want me to cook a feast, consider it done. You give the orders and I take them, that's how it works on a ship, right Captain?"

Amelia exchanged looks with Arrow before she answered, "Yes, that is how it works...Arrow, lead Jim and Doppler to the galley. I'd like to speak with..."

"Zack."

"Zack alone." Amelia answered with as Arrow saluted before he replied, "As you wish, Captain." With that, the three men departed to the other side of the ship, leaving the siren and the female captain alone. Amelia looked at the girl before she said, "Lock the door and then, come back here." Linnea nodded as she did as she was told. She neared closer to the captain as she thought to herself, 'Uh oh! I'm literally toast now. My cover's blown now and I've been officially caught! What should I do? What should I do?'

"Come here." Amelia commanded as Linnea came around the desk and stood straight in front of the cat woman. Amelia examined the girl before she stated, "You're not a man, right? I can smell your scent, so don't lie."

Linnea sighed in defeat before she confessed, "Yes, I'm no man. I'm a young woman, but I only came to help Jim on his quest. I just wanna help him...I can't lose him."

"So, you love him?"

"Maybe..."

"You do realize that there are only men aboard this ship, and that does not include myself. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know that. That's why I disguised myself as a man to come aboard."

"One might see that as an act of betrayal or mutiny, especially on a ship. Why did you do this?"

"I have to help Jim, and I refuse to leave this journey. I will literally tie myself to the mast and your men will have to drag me by my limbs and throw me overboard to get me to leave."

"I understand why you did this, and there's no need to go to such drastic measures to stay aboard. Welcome aboard!"

"You're letting me stay?!"

"Yes. I did the same thing when I was a girl, but I never got caught. I think what you're doing is very courageous and I hope you make it home safely. Now tell me, Zack...Are you eligible to work?"

"If a man can do it, a woman can do it too. I've worked as a waitress for two weeks, so I can manage on my own."

"Excellent...So, Zack, what's your true name?"

"It's Linnea."

"Like a blue flower?"

"Yes, like a flower."

"Beautiful name for such a beautiful girl."

"Thanks, and to be honest, you're one of the most beautiful pirate captains I've ever seen. You're really pretty and strong." Amelia looked at the girl with a gentle smile as she blushed a little, "Oh, well...Thank you. Now, let's get you some form-fitting clothes, shall we?"

"Okay, sure." Amelia walked Linnea over to a small chest filled with clothes. Linnea peeled off her shirt and gauze to reveal large D-Cup breasts to the ginger cat woman. Amelia handed Linnea a form-fitting, blue jean vest with gold buttons that showed off Linnea's neck and cleavage well, a pair of feminine sandals, and a red bandana to hold back Linnea's hair; Linnea still kept Jim's pants, the trench coat, and the belt with her weapons, and she thanked Amelia as she ducked behind a screen to change into her new attire.

After Linnea had changed, she and Amelia walked to the top of the ship as Amelia announced, "Crew, this is Linnea! She will work as a cabin boy alongside Jim Hawkins, also a cabin boy. If I catch any of you hurting her or if I hear that you hurt her, I'll make you walk the plank. Do I make myself quite clear?"

"Yes, Captain!" The men replied as Amelia commanded, "Back to work, you scaly wags!" The men returned to work while Amelia let Linnea go with Arrow to her, Doppler, and Jim's quarters. Linnea was happy to see her friends and told them about what happened before Jim and Linnea were expected to work that night. Silver was very glad to meet the two teens as he introduced himself, "Name's John Silver. Nice to meet you!"

"Jim, Jim Hawkins." Jim replied as he shook hands with the cyborg.

Silver laughed in a jolly way as he said, "Nice name, Jimbo. May I call you Jimbo?"

"Sure, I guess..." Jim shrugged as he stuffed his hands in his pockets before Linnea jumped in as she introduced herself, "I'm Linnea, just Linnea."

Silver laughed as he answered, "I heard from Amelia. Your name is beautiful for such a very pretty lass."

"Oh, I'm not that pretty."

"Sure you are! You got more beauty than any other gal I've ever seen."

Oh, well...Thank you."

"Yeah, okay. Are we gonna work or what?" Jim huffed as Silver replied, "Oh, yes. I plan on making a special broth along with a full course meal for the crew, so let's get to work."

Jim started cutting up different vegetables while Silver made Linnea help with the meal. Along the way, Jim and Linnea met Morph when Morph bothered Jim as he cut up vegetables, "Get away from me, you flying, red blob!"

"Jim, my boy! Don't swat at Morph."

"Morph?" Linnea asked as Silver nodded, "Yep. Morph here is my pet shapeshifter."

"He's so adorable." Morph smiled a bit before he landed in the unstretched palm of Linnea's hand morphed into a miniature version of Linnea. Linnea petted the little, pink, goo pet as she giggled. Jim smiled at this as he continued cutting up vegetables before Morph snuggled affectionately close to Jim's shoulder, causing the rebellious teen to pet the creature. Linnea smiled back at Jim before Silver asked, "Linnea, could you do me a favor?"

"Yes, teacher."

"Taste this broth for me." Linnea tasted a spoonful of broth before she tried not to wince. Silver looked concerned by this before Linnea smiled and explained, "It's not bad, but I think it needs something. Do you have spices down here that you use?"

"Yes, the bottles you see in the cabinet beside us keeps all our spices, recipes, etc."

"May I see them?"

"Of course. Do you know how to cook?"

"Yes, everyone should know how to do the basics of the home; that includes sewing, cooking, and cleaning," Linnea smiled at Silver before she examined the many vials of spices, "Let's see...It was too bland, so it needs a little kick to it. Oregano? No, it needs to have a kick to it...Basil? No, it's too rich for a simple broth...Ah, Thyme and Chives would be perfect." Linnea applied some thyme and chives to the broth to make it more creamy while she applied more vegetables to the delicacy. When she stirred the concoction together, she let Jim and Silver taste, smiles forming on their faces as Silver remarked, "Well, Lassie. You have a gift. I say congratulations to you."

"Thanks, Silver. I think the rest of the meal is ready to serve to the crew."

"I'll go serve the meal and announce to the captain that you have a gift."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Silver." Silver grabbed the broth and other delicacies and departed from the kitchen with them to serve the hard-working crew.

Jim finished cutting up vegetables before he asked, "That was amazing. Where'd you learn to cook like that?"

"There was an elderly woman next door to where I lived. Her name was Ms. Merina, and she was a middle-aged widow who raised me...She taught me how to bake and cook as well as sew, clean, and babysit children. She taught me my skills and she treated me like a daughter. She always related everything to cooking."

"How?"

"She said...'Life is like a recipe. You must take it one step at a time until you get the finished product. The more effort you put into the recipe of Life, the better you'll feel. Living life to the fullest means you're following the recipe step by step, and if you do that, you'll never go wrong.'"

"She sounds like a very wonderful gal."

"She was...but I had to leave her behind when I ran away to escape my marriage. She helped me escape."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll be fine." Linnea smiled before she helped Jim cut up more vegetables. Afterwards, Silver returned with a pile of dirty dishes for the teens to clean, after they ate of course. Jim and Linnea ate the leftovers of the meal before they cleaned up the dishes. Jim kept cleaning until he became so tired that he fell asleep as he clutched the broth pot. Linnea looked at a laughing Silver who walked by before she grabbed the pot, got Jim to his feet with Silver's help, and carried him to the two's quarters. Silver laid Jim on the bed before he bid Linnea goodnight before she closed her door and laid beside a sleeping Jim. She wrapped her arms around Jim's waist and snuggled into his chest for warmth before she fell asleep, trying to get as much sleep as humanly possible. The reason was because, the real, hard work began tomorrow and the two teens would need all the sleep and strength needed for the journey.

Now, the journey between man and mermaid had officially begun and it would change the course of the journey forever. Neither teen knew what to expect on this journey, but they were going to take this journey safely together. This journey would change the course of history for both man and siren, forever, and maybe...it would change them for the better...


	5. Laborious Chores & Traitorous Comrades

Chapter 5: Laborious Chores & Traitorous Comrades

Jim and Linnea had been aboard the RLS Legacy for about a week, and Jim was already hating his job as a cabin boy; Linnea, on the other hand, didn't really mind working because she was willing to prove that she was capable of staying on the ship. Linnea was used to cooking and cleaning, so putting her in charge of meals with Silver was a cakewalk for her. However, even though Jim was used to cleaning and cooking, he wasn't so pleased with his position. He wanted to do what he wanted in peace and freedom without someone nagging him every five minutes on how to clean a deck or a pot; he wanted to be a true sailor, but the crew felt he would cause a ruckus, so they gave him dirty work to keep him from getting into deep trouble.

Linnea kinda felt bad for Jim having to clean the whole ship by himself everyday, so she helped him whenever possible. Whenever she wasn't cooking meals or helping Jim with kitchen prep and/or clean-up, she would help Jim swab the deck. Jim was always grateful for her help, even though he tried to sweet-talk her by saying phrases like, 'You really don't have to help if you don't wanna,' or 'I can handle this by myself.' Linnea wold always ruffle his hair as she replied, "I appreciate your concern, but you do more work than me. The least I can do for you helping me get aboard the ship is to help you with chores."

"Thanks, Linny." Jim smirked each time this was done as Linnea smiled and grabbed the mop and bucket, "Don't mention it. Anytime, Jim." They would get the job done more quickly with Linnea helping the teenager out, and Jim wouldn't get nagged so much. Because of the teamwork that the two teens had, Arrow and Amelia started to acknowledge Linnea's kind, golden heart and Jim's hard-working loyalty to the crew, even though they were still strict with the teens. Even Silver grew to like the teens as well as the days moved on. The routine of getting up and doing chores became repetitive and almost mandatory for the teens, almost to a point where no one had to instruct them to do something. But, one day would change their outlook on SOME crew members...

One day, Jim and Linnea walked around the deck together as they overheard Silver chatting with Amelia, "Ah, tis a grand day for sailing, Captain! And look at you: You're as trim and as bonny as a sloop, with new sails and a fresh coat of paint-"

Amelia cut Silver off as she replied sternly, "You can keep that kind of flim-flammery for your spaceport floozies, Silver." Jim and Linnea laughed in their hands as they continued walking around while Morph turned into a mini Amelia, shaking her, its, hips as it mimicked the cat captain. Silver grabbed at Morph as he stuttered, "Spaceport floozies? Spaceport floozies?! You cut me to the quick, Captain! I speaks nothing but me heart at all times."

Amelia rolled her eyes at Silver before she pointed to Jim and Linnea and stated, "And by the way, isn't that your cabin boy and his lass aimlessly footling around in those shrouds?" Silver took a pause to look at the two before he looked to Amelia with a sheepish smile, "Yep, it-oh...A momentary aberration, Cap'n, soon to be addressed. Jimbo! Linnea!"

Jim and Linnea turned around as their names were called to see Silver holding a mop and bucket as he smiled, "I got two new friends I'd like you to meet! Say hello to Mr. Mop and Mrs. Bucket. Heh heh heh heh!"

"Yippie," Jim sarcastically deadpanned as Silver walked off, laughing at his own joke. Jim swabbed the deck with Linnea's help before he became frustrated and yelled, "Yeah, I got your Mr. Mop!" Suddenly, a crew member, known as 'Hands', shoves Jim to the ground as Linnea goes to help him. The crew member turns around before he shouts, "Watch it, twerp!" Hands walks away as Linnea shouts, "Maybe you should learn to watch where you're going, you dim-sighted, fat oaf!" Jim and Linnea stated at Hands, confused and angered by his rudeness before the two teens overheard several crew members talking; the two tried to listen in, but the crew stopped talking when the noticed two 'rats' spying on them.

Jim and Linnea continued to stare as they 'resumed' their chores before one crew member, Oxy, snapped, "What're you looking at, Wierdo? And you, wench!"

Another member, Moron, laughed, "Yeah, Wierdo!" Jim and Linnea were somewhat disgusted by the crew members, so they did everything possible to ignore them, all while giving them dirty looks every so often. The two continued to work until a shrimp-spider hybrid sailor, Scroop, approached the teens from above, hissing in a sinister voice as Linnea clutched Jim's shoulders in fear, hiding behind him to feel protected as Jim stood firm with the mop in hand. Scroop circled around the teens as he hissed, "Cabin boyssss should learn to mind their own businesssss..."

Jim smirked as he challenged the sailor, "Why, you got something at hide, Bright eyes?" All too soon, Scroop grabbed Jim by the collar and pulled him closer to his face as Linnea shouted, "Knock it off, creepy crawler! Leave us alone!"

"Mind your businesssss, little wench!"

"Drop dead, sharkbait!"

"Know yer place, ssstupid girl!" Scroop retorted as he neared closer to Linnea in a hostile manner. Linnea stood her ground, despite the fact that there was a hint of fear in her mannerisms and eyes as Jim struggled for a moment when he yelled, being choked by the larger sailor, "Don't-unhh-talk to her that way!"

"Maybe yer ears don't work ssso well!"

"Ugh-Yeah-Nn...Too bad my NOSE works just fine!" Scroop hissed, "Why you impudent little-" before he slammed Jim angrily against the mast as Linnea gasped and the crew cheered Scroop on. Scroop smirked as he raised his claw above his head, "Any last wordssss, cabin boy?" Linnea tried to help as she grabbed the mop that Jim dropped and smacked Scroop, shouting, "Let him go, you mangy beast!" Scroop rolled his eyes and smirked as he grabbed the mop and knocked it out of the siren's hands before he slapped her hard across the face and knocked her to the ground.

Linnea struggled to get up before Silver grabbed Scroop's claw while eating a purp fruit, asking, "Mr Scroop, you ever see what happens to a fresh purp, when you squeeze REAL HARD?!" Silver squeezed Scroop's claw, causing him to recoil in pain as he grabbed his claw and squirmed on the deck. Arrow appeared on deck as he bellowed, "What's all this then?! You know the rules! There'll be no brawling on the ship! Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage," Arrow then turned to Scroop as he questioned, "And I clear, Mr. Scroop?"

Scroop glared at Arrow in disgust and envy until a red flash from Silver's eye gave him an unspoken warning. Scroop sneered at Arrow as he answered, "Transparently." All activity returned to normal on the ship as Arrow left while Silver remarked, "Well done, Mr. Arrow, sir. A tight ship's a happy ship...sir." Silver then turned to Linnea as he helped get off the ground, the girl thanking him for his help. Silver saluted to Arrow before he picked up the mop, pointed it out to Jim, and said, "Jimbo, I gave you a job an-"

"Hey! I was doing it until that bug thing-"

"BELAY THAT," Silver yelled in a frightening voice, even frightening to Linnea and Morph, as he chastised the teenage boy, "Now, I want this deck swabbed spotless...and Heaven help ye if I come back an it's not done...Morph, keep an eye on this here pup! Let me know if there be any more distractions!" Morph burbled in obedience before he turned into two eyeballs that watched over Jim. Silver turned to go towards the mess hall as Jim resumed his chores, looking occasionally bad for not being able to help Linnea. Because of Scroop's actions, Linnea had a stinging, blackish-blue bruise forming on her right cheek, but she did her best to not show her pain; she didn't want anyone, especially Jim, to feel responsible for the injury because it was Scroop's fault. He 's the one that slapped her.

Silver made his way to the mess hall for a meeting with his fellow crew members as he frightened more of them with his cyborg arm as he smirked, "So, we're all here then." A crew member, Onus, slithered under the table as he replied, Excuse me."

"Fine...Now, if yeh'll pardon my plain speaking, gentlemen," Silver replied as he turned his cyborg arm into a sword, swinging it around at the scared crew as he shouted, "Are yeh all STARK-RAVIN, TOTALLY BLINKIN DAFT?! After all me laborin,' getting us hired as an upstandin' crew," Silver screamed before he pointed the blade at Scroop, " Yeh wanna blow the whole mutiny before it's time?!"

Scroop tried to avoid the blade as he hissed, "The boy and hissss lassss were sssniffing around."

"You just stick to the plan, you bug-brained twit!...As for the boy and his fair lassie, I'll run em both so ragged, they won't have time to think!"

Meanwhile, Linnea watched as Morph turned into a miniature version of the mop, sweeping the deck at a faster pace than Jim. Morph started mopping Jim's shoes as he and Linnea laughed. Jim then began talking to the pink blob, "Well, this has been a fun day, huh? Making new friends?...Like that spider psycho!" Jim wiggled his fingers to mimic the spider sailor while Linnea giggled and Morph transformed into a miniature version of Scroop, copying Jim's hand motions as he giggled, "Spider-psycho! Spider-psycho!"

Jim laughed at Morph, "A little uglier." Morph suddenly transformed into a more, evil version of Scroop, completing his act with a cartoonish face for the spider-psycho and an evil laugh that went like this, "Mwah hah hah hah hah!"

"That's pretty close." Jim chuckled while Morph shrugged and Linnea giggled innocently, "I agree." All of a sudden, Morph reverted to his pink form as the trio heard Silver coming back up the stairs, laughing, "Thank Heaven for little miracles! Up here for an hour and the deck's still in one piece."

Jim shrugged with a laugh as he gave the elder a grateful 'thank you' for saving his and Linnea's lives, "Um, look-I umm...What you did...Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks for saving us, Silver. It really means a lot." Linnea beamed as Silver smiled back, almost in a false, pretend way, "No problem and anytime, kiddos... Did yer pap ever teach ya to pick yer fights more carefully?" Jim stopped smiling and started mopping again while Linnea looked on sadly at Jim, knowing about Jim's father as Silver asked, "Why the long faces? Yer father not the teachin' sort, Jimbo?"

Jim looked a little angry and hurt, but he tried not to show it as he answered, "...No...He was more the taking off-and-never coming back...sort." Silver looked understanding yet concerned as he turned towards Linnea, who nodded in agreement with Jim's story. Silver then turned to Jim as he replied quietly, "Oh...I'm sorry, Jimbo, my lad."

"Hey, no big deal...I'm doing just fine."

"Is that so?...Well, since cap'n has put you and Linnea in my charge, like it or not, I'll be pounding a few skills into that thick head of yer's to keep you out of trouble. From now on, you're never leavin my sight!"

"You can't-"

"You won't so much as eat, sleep, or scratch yer bum without my say-so!"

"Don't do me any favors!"

"Oh, you can be sure of that, my lad! You can be sure of that!"

Jim walked off with Silver's say-so as he draped an arm around Linnea, leading her to their room in the galley as Jim sat the siren down on the bed, closing the door behind him. He walked to Doppler's bag and pulled out a medical kit, nearing closer to Linnea with it as he gently touched her bruise, causing Linnea to try to hold back a wince of pain. Jim sighed, "Does it hurt?"

Linnea tried to lie as she trembled, "No..."

"You shouldn't have done that for me, Linny. Standing up to the spider was definitely asking you to get hurt."

"...If I didn't, who would? I promised Sarah that I would help to keep you safe, and I never break my promises."

"But, you still shouldn't have done that," Jim raised his voice to Linnea as she stared at him, wide-eyed and in fear as he apologized, "I'm sorry, Linny. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"It's fine...I'm used to men yelling or hitting me."

"No, I'm really sorry. I just...I don't want you to get hurt because of me. If you got injured because of my neglect or rash actions, I'd never forgive myself."

"Jim..."

"Linny, when I found you on that beach, I promised to protect you until you didn't need me anymore. I don't break my promises, either." Linnea started to cry as Jim wrapped his arms around her, holding her frail, trembling body against him as he let her cry. It could've been a flashback of the siren getting beat up by her fiancé, or it could've been the fact that Jim was giving up his life for her. Whatever the case, Linnea cried in Jim's arms in so much pain and sorrow that he had never seen something like that before. Jim almost cried himself just seeing this girl in pain, but he refused to let the tears fall; he had to stay strong for her. After a while, Linnea stopped crying and allowed Jim to use the medicine on her bruise before he kissed her chastely on her bruise and forehead. Jim then helped Linnea into bed by covering her up with a blanket before he scooted beside her and snuggled next to her, protecting her with every ounce of strength in him. Finally, Jim fell asleep for a couple hours until the sound of the door opening woke him up. It was only Doppler, but the doctor soon became concerned as he asked the teenage boy, "What happened to Linnea?! I heard from Arrow that you and another member got into a fight."

"That bug-eyed freak attacked us while we were swabbing the deck, and I tried to defend us until that member struck me. Then, Linnea tried to help me, but that stupid spider, Mr. Scroop, slapped her...Luckily, Silver broke it up."

"I'm glad he did...Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine, but if I would've been stronger, she would've been spared. I should've defended her better; it's my fault-"

"Oh, Jim," Doppler sighed as he comforted the boy, "Linnea is grateful for you protecting her, so she wanted to protect you when that Scroop guy struck you. I'm sure she doesn't blame you for her injury, and you shouldn't blame yourself either...Now, get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

"Okay...Night, Doppler."

"Goodnight, Jim, my boy...Sarah would be so proud of you right now and I'm proud of you. Just...hold onto Linnea as much as possible and always protect her. You'll never know how precious she is until you lose her."

"Will do, Doppler."

"That's my boy, Jim. That's my boy..."

****Please Review & Await for Chapter Six! Luvs you! :)****


	6. Fallen Sailor & A Siren's Song

Chapter 6: Fallen Sailor & a Siren's Song

Jim and Linnea's routine on the boat had been somewhat repetitive and unchain gong, except for the fact that Silver worked them both to death and had to give his say-so before the teens did anything. Jim was very hardworking, despite the fact that he seemed angry or upset at the world and/or almost everyone around him. Most times, Jim would have frequent flashbacks about his father or hard upbringing with a single mom, but he would just simply shrug them off and go to work. On each and every task Jim did, Silver was impressed because although the boy seemed lazy, he worked very hard and was an absolute genius when it came to mechanics and machinery. Heck, he even built his first solar surfer when he was 8! Despite the difficult work, however, Jim and Linnea started to bond closer and closer with Silver each day, the cyborg sailor becoming a father figure to both teens while treating them as if they were his own children. But, one day would change the course of the relationship forever...

It was a beautiful day aboard the RLS Legacy, and Jim and Linnea were helping Silver pull a longboat onto the ship. Jim suddenly turned the boat to the opposite side he was pulling, causing Silver to tremble from the force of the rocking boat. Linnea giggled as the man rocked back and forth with his big belly while Jim smirked, "What, ya having a little trouble there?"

Silver pushed Jim away playfully as he laughed, "Oh, get away from me!" The trio laughed alongside Morph before Jim and Linnea sat down in the longboat, talking. Silver started off the conversation between the teens as he asked Linnea, "So, lassie, how did you and Jimbo meet?"

"Oh!...Well...It wasn't a normal meeting like you read in books, but it was amazing."

"Tell me. Ol' Silver likes a good tale!"

"Okay...Well, I got injured on the beach when some dirty thief robbed me; he stabbed me with his dagger, right in the leg, he did!"

"Ouch! Did it hurt really bad?"

"Yes, but if that wasn't bad enough, I was knocked unconscious too and left for dead on that beach...Then, Jim found me while he was on one of his little walks, and he brought me back to Benbow Inn. He and his mom got a doctor for me, healed my wounds, and even let me work as a waitress and cook so I could get back on my feet."

"Interesting..."

"It was awesome, and because of it, I gained a new friend and comrade." Jim replied as Silver suddenly remarked, "Oh, Jimbo! If I'd maneuvered a skiff like that when I was yer age, they'd be bowin' in the streets when I walked by today." Silver made a grand bow before sitting in the boat while Morph copied the move as he replied, 'Bowin' in the streets!,' earning him some light applause from Linnea. Morph then snuggled up next to the siren as Jim shrugged, "Eh, I don't know, Silver. They weren't exactly singing my praises when I left home...But, I'm gonna change all that!"

"Are yeh now?...How so?"

"Ah...I've got some plans...Gonna make people see me a little different."

"Ohhh...Sometimes plans go astray..."

"Mm...Not this time!" Jim smirked as Linnea beamed, "Jim's right! We're not gonna go astray because he has me with him. I'm good at maps, navigation, and such, so we can definitely journey safely!"

"Hmmm..." Silver shrugged as he appeared to look guilty or upset over something. Then, Silver stretched out his leg and tried to force a loose Knut onto a bolt, but he struggled with it in agonizing pain and frustration until Morph turned into a wrench, fixing the problem as Silver smiled, "Aww, thank yeh, Morphy!"

Jim and Linnea stated at the cyborg's artificial limbs, wondering what it was like to lose a limb or how the elder lost his own arm and leg as Jim asked, "So, uh...How did that happen anyway?"

"...You give up a few things...chasin' a dream."

"I'm sorry..." Linnea whispered as Jim questioned, "...Was it worth it?" Silver rose from his seat and smiled at the two teens, receiving smiles back at him as he laughed, "I'm hopin' it is, Jimbo! I most surely am!" As the trio climbed out of the longboat and started to talk again, the ship shook violently as Silver shouted, "What the devil?!"

The trio looked up and saw Doppler with a telescope as he shouted, "The star Pellucid...It's gone supernova!" Amelia's face showed both fear and strength as she commanded a sailor, Turnbuckle, at the helm, "Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!"

"Aye, Cap'n!" Turnbuckle answered as he struggled with the helm. Arrow ran around in a hurried, calm manner as he commanded, "All hands, fasten your lines!" The crew scurried around in a panic, hurrying to fasten their lifelines as they prepared for the worst. Crimson-lit skies neared the ship as burning rock and debris flew all around the Legacy, hitting the solar sails and sides of the ship as the star exploded. Linnea was the most frightened because she had never seen anything like this before, but Jim calmed her as he helped the both of them get hooked onto a lifeline. Amelia started to panic as the solar sails got hit, commanding, "Mr. Arrow, secure those sails!"

Arrow nodded to his captain as he bellowed, "Secure all solar sails! Brace them down, men!" The crew hurried to secure the sails as they began to panic. Jim and Linnea yanked on the rope near the narrow bow while Silver worked behind the teens on the main body of the Legacy. While debris flew around the ship, another crew member, Meltdown, started to shoot at the debris to protect the sails as he shouted in triumph like a drunk man winning poker. Meanwhile on the other side of the ship, Jim, Linnea, and Silver continued to work despite the fact that they were afraid. All of a sudden, fiery debris hit Silver's line and snapped it, causing him to fall back until Jim and Linnea ran to help him.

"Silver!" Jim and Linnea shouted as they reached for the rope, tugging on it with all their strength. Silver pulled himself to his feet as he looked at the teens in gratitude, "Thanks, lad! And you too, lassie!"

All of a sudden, a huge chunk of star came flying towards the ship. It likened like it would be the end of the crew as we knew it because the star chunk was big enough to demolish the whole ship and all on it...until the rock stopped in midair and was sucked backward into the crimson light. The crew stare on confused until a crew member in the crow's nest, Onus, shouted, "Cap'n, the star!" The crew looked on until Doppler stated, "It-It's devolving into a black hole!"

Turnbuckle struggled at the helm as he screamed, "We're been' pulled in!" All too soon, the helm was too much for him as Turnbuckle let go and fell over sideways. Amelia hurried and grabbed the helm as she shouted, "Oh, no ya don't!" Along with this realization, the boat started to rock back-and-forth violently from the explosion of the star. Amelia held onto the helm tightly as she cursed the star, "Blast these waves! They're suffusedly erratic!"

Doppler cut into the conversation as he explained, "No, Captain! They're not erratic at all. They'll be one more in precisely forty-seven-point-two seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!" Amelia looked frustrated until a look of inspiration came onto her face, "Of course! Brilliant Doctor! We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"

Finally, Arrow got the sails secured as he proclaimed, "All sails secured, Cap'n!"

"Good man! Now, release them immediately!" Arrow looked stunned by her command before he sighed, "...Aye, Cap'n! You heard her, men! Unfurl those sails!"

Several of the men started to complain when they heard this command as they shouted to Arrow, "What?!"

"But, we just finished-"

"Tyin' em down!"

"Make up yer bloomin' minds!" Scroop said nothing, however, so he just glared at Arrow with his beady, evil eyes as Amelia continued to hold the helm. She spotted Jim and shouted, "Mr. Hawkins! Make sure all the lifelines are secured, good and tight!"

"Aye, Cap'n!" Jim answered as he stopped his work on the sails, ran to every one to pull it tightly, and returned to the sails quickly as he shouted, "Lifelines secured, Cap'n!"

"Very good!" Everyone aboard the Legacy tried to release the sails as quickly as possible, preparing for the worst as the boat lurched back and forth. Arrow and Scroop were working on a side of the ship together until Arrow was lurched back by the rocking ship, making him fall back as he grasped his lifeline for dear life. Doppler tried to help out with releasing the sails as he was lurched back too, but luckily, he caught himself by grabbing the side of the ship. Meanwhile, Arrow was struggling to get back to his post as he used his lifeline for balance...until Scroop smiled maliciously at the first mate. Arrow looked up in horror as Scroop cut the rope with his sharp claw, sending the man down, down into the black hole as he screamed in agony. Scroop smiled at his work, but he turned once he heard Doppler again. From her side of the ship, Linnea could hear the agonizing yell but thought nothing of it as she overheard Doppler scream, "Captain, the last wave! Here it comes!"

Amelia held onto the helm for dear life as she ordered, "Hold onto your lifelines, gents! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" Silver, Jim, and Linnea held onto one of the masts; Silver leaned over Jim protectively while Jim held onto Linnea for dear life, making sure she was safe. Morph squealed in fear as Linnea clutched onto him, holding onto every last bit of hope and faith she had left as the whole crew braced themselves. The boat rocked violently against the strength of the black hole until the ship came out the other side, unharmed and safe from the traumatic, sailing experience.

Doppler got tangled up in some ropes as the boat lurched back and slowed down. He clumsily untangled himself as he exclaimed to Amelia, " Captain, that-Oh, my goodness! That was-that was absolutely-that was the most-"

"Oh, tish-tosh!...Actually, Doctor, you were astronomical. Advice was most helpful."

"Well, uh...Thank you. Thank you very much! Well, I have a lot of help to offer anatomically-uhh, m-mnemonically-as-astromically!" Feeling embarrassed by his slip up, Doppler slapped himself across the forehead while Linnea laughed at him. Obviously, Linnea assumed he was in love with the captain and would need some romantic advice from her; maybe she could help him at a later time...

Amelia went down the stairs towards Jim and Silver as apache smiled, impressed, "Well, I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver. It seems your cabin boy did a bang-up job with those lifelines." Silver smiled as he patted Jim on the head in a proud manner while Jim acted like he protested the gesture, but he was secretly proud of himself. Linnea hugged Jim tightly around the waist as Jim hugged her back, thanking God for bringing them to safety. Amelia looked around as she asked, "All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow?...Mr. Arrow?!"

Scroop walked over where Amelia was and looked at her sadly as he handed her Arrow's hat, "I'm afraid Arrow was lost...His lifeline was not secured." Jim let go of Linnea as tears formed in Linnea's eyes. Amelia took the hat as Scroop glared at Jim, causing Amelia to do the same but in a more grief-stricken way. Jim started to panic as he exclaimed, "No, I checked them all!" Jim pushed past Silver to check the lifelines and noticed Arrow's was missing as he shouted in despair and agony, "I-I did! I check them all! They were secured! I swear!"

The whole crew stared at Jim sadly as Amelia fought back tears and gathered herself, clearing her throat as she announced, "Mr. Arrow was a fine spacer. Finer than most of us could ever hope to be...But, he knew the risks, so do we all...Resume your posts. We carry on." The crew glared coldly at Jim before they returned to their posts, dragging their feet sadly as they did so. Jim pushed past Linnea and Silver as he returned to the lifelines, staring sadly out into space as Linnea wiped her tears with the sleeve of her trench coat.

She felt so bad for Jim, and she felt in her heart that anyone could've died that day; she also believed that deep down, Jim had not caused the accident, but she believed mutiny was upon the ship. Linnea only wanted to go on this journey to help Jim and Sarah because they had helped her, but now, she just witnessed the grief of a fallen comrade. She had believed all her life that she killed her mother, and now the painful memory of Arrow's death haunted her. She remembered the agonizing yell from before and realized too late that it was Arrow's cry of fear as he fell into the black hole. Linnea wiped more of her tears away as she followed Jim, going with him to help him get over the pain of grief. Jim said nothing when she approached, but he let her touch him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his shoulder. Linnea buried her face into Jim's neck as she cried silent tears for both him and her. Still, Jim said nothing nor did he do anything to comfort Linnea; he was already grief-stricken by the loss and he didn't want to upset Linnea anymore.

Later that evening, Silver joined Jim and Linnea on the roof. Linnea was sitting on the deck, holding her head in her hands while Jim stared at the lifelines in disbelief and shock. Silver smoked his pipe before he replied, "It weren't yer fault, yeh know." Jim sighed but said nothing as Silver continued, "Why, half the crew would be spinnin' in that black abyss if it had not been f-"

Jim whipped around and frightened both the plump cyborg and Linnea as he cried, "Look, don't you get it?! I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought maybe I could finally do something right, but-" Jim combed his fingers through his brown hair as he snapped, "Ugh-I just- Forget it! Just forget it!"

Jim turned around to turn his tear-stained face away from Silver and Linnea as the siren rose from her sitting position. Linnea looked at Jim in shock at the way he was giving up so easily as Silver turned Jim around, "Now, you listen to me, James Hawkins...You got the makings of greatness in ya! But you gotta take the helm and chart your own course...Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes, you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails and show what you're made of!"

Jim looked up at Silver, taking in every word of the elder's speech as Silver laughed, "Well, I hope I'm there, catching some of the light comin' off ya that day." Silver looked down and his face contorted from jolliness into sympathy for the poor boy as Jim closed his eyes, collapsing into Silver's arms. Linnea wrapped her arms around Jim's waist and rested her head on his shoulder, burying her face in his strong neck while the teen boy started to cry. Silver looked uncomfortable at first, but he immediately warmed into the embrace as he clutched the siren and boy close to his chest. Silver comforted Jim as he soothed, "There...that's all right, Jimbo...'S all right..."

Jim continued to cry for a few minutes until Silver let go of the teens, "Well...I best be gettin' back to me watch. You two best be get tin' some shut eye!" Jim and Linnea groggily made their way to the bunks before Jim and Linnea turned around, smiling at the cyborg as he returned a sincere yet weary smile back. Jim and Linnea departed for the bunks while Silver looked up at Morph, "Phew! Get tin' in too deep here, Morphy! Next thing yeh know they'll be sayin' I've gone soft!" Little did the trip know that they were being watched by Scroop, who returned to his post as Silver walked by him.

Down in the bunks, Linnea laid down on the hammock before Jim curled up beside HER, seeking her comfort and warmth as she soothed him in a whisper, "Silver's right. You shouldn't blame yourself; it wasn't your fault. And anyways, it happens to the best sailors."

"I wish it never happened to me."

"Crap happens for a reason, Jim. You'll see; it's part of some higher plan."

"Hmm...Maybe..." Jim snuggled close and wiped away his silent tears as Linnea fingered the boy's chocolate tresses, swirling and troweling each one as she sang an old, human lullaby in the best whisper she could muster,

" (Credit to Original)

* Roses whisper good night 'neath silvery light  
Asleep in the dew they hide from our view  
When the dawn peepeth through God will wake them and you  
When the dawn peepeth through God will wake them and you

Slumber sweetly my dear for the angels are near  
To watch over you the silent night through  
And to bear you above to the dreamland of love  
And to bear you above to the dreamland of love...* "

The beautiful melody and sweet, innocent soprano voice of the siren, Linnea, was enough to lull Jim into a deep sleep for the night. The soothing lullaby was the one, solitary thing needed to help Jim forget his grief and find peace through rest and warmth in Linnea's arms. As Jim slept against her, Linnea held Jim, stroking his hair and kissing his forehead before she yawned out of fatigue. She gazed up at the roof and thought of Sarah and Arrow's sudden death; in the siren's mind, she had a strong belief that Arrow's death was NO accident. She believed that someone caused the first mate's death and she also believed that someone was planning mutiny upon the ship. She had to warn Jim, Doppler, and even Amelia about her theory, but for now, she would rest until she got her chance to reveal her secret accusation...

*Please Review!*


	7. Escape to Treasure Planet

Chapter 7: Escape to Treasure Planet

Linnea and Jim had slept all night until early the next morning. Linnea woke up before Jim, taking the time to stretch and prepare herself for the 'big reveal.' She had to tell Amelia about the suspected mutiny, so she thought today should be the day. Then, a crew member, Snuff, snored in Jim's face, waking up the teen boy while he acted disgusted by the bad breath of the sailor's snores. Jim groggily fell out of the hammock while Linnea giggled before helping him up. Jim took a moment to wake up completely before he smiled at Linnea and looked for his boots. Jim grabbed one of them, but the other one hopped away and went behind a treasure chest.

"Morph?" Jim yawned as he neared the chest...only to be kicked in the butt by the boot, controlled by little Morph. Jim became aware of what was going on as he leapt off the ground and chased the pink blob, "Ow! Morph, it's too early for this!"

Linnea giggled as she helped Jim chase after Morph, "Morph, give Jim his boot back! Come back here!" The two teens laughed in short whispers as they chased the blob around the ship. Morph mimicked the duo as he ran off with Jim's boot, before Jim finally caught the shoe. "Gotcha!" Jim exclaimed before he realized he was in midair and crashed onto the deck with a thud. Linnea laughed before helping Jim to his feet. Then, Jim laid down on his stomach as he stared at Morph...until the blob turned into an alien fish and squirted a stream of water into Jim's face. This meant that the chase was still on. After a struggle, Morph suddenly flew into a grate as Jim shouted, "Come here, you little squidge!"

"You little squidge!" Morph mimicked as he turned into miniature versions of Jim's head, over and over again until Morph disappeared out of sight. Linnea and Jim thought that Morph just wanted to play hide-and-seek mixed with his morphing abilities, so the game continued.

After a few moments of searching for Morph, Jim and Linnea made their way to the galley, the last place to look for their gooey friend. Jim looked into a barrel filled with a few purps, until one of the fruits revealed two eyes. "Aha! Gotcha now!" Jim exclaimed as he tried to jump into the barrel with Linnea to grab Morph...but, the sound of footsteps and chatter kept the three curious and silent as they heard a conversation of mutiny brewing, "We're sick of all this waiting!"

"Ve are vanting to move!"

"We don't move 'til we got th' treasure in hand!" Silver replied to Hands, Birdbrain, and Meltdown. Jim and Linnea exchanged glances of shock and confusion as they shifted carefully in the barrel, trying their best to keep Morph quiet. Linnea whispered in Jim's ear as she explained carefully, "I have a feeling Arrow's death was no coincidence, and I also believe mutiny is on this ship. We must get out of here quickly and warn Amelia and Doppler."

Jim nodded in agreement before he heard Scroop speak, "I say we kill 'em all now-" Jim and Linnea speculated that Scroop meant anyone other than the ones talking should die, but they didn't really know. The two eavesdropped and watched Silver grab Scroop as he bellowed, " I say what's this I say! Disobey my orders again like that stunt yeh pulled with Mr. Arrow, and so help me, yeh'll be JOININ' 'IM!"

Silver threw Scroop across the room, causing the spider sailor to crash into the barrel that Jim and Linnea were hiding in. The two teens gasped in shock, but quickly recovered as they grabbed Morph again. Scroop got up and glared at Silver as he sneered, "Strong talk... but I know otherwise..."

" You got somethin' t' say, Scroop?" Scroop said nothing, but he reached into the barrel. Jim and Linnea panicked as Scroop's claw felt around. Jim quickly pushed himself down further in the barrel, pulling Linnea down with him, as he picked up a purp, putting it in Scroop's claw carefully.

Scroop pulled his claw out of the barrel and grinned maliciously at Silver as he explained, "It's that boy. . . Methinks. . . yeh have a soft spot fer him." Scroop squeezed the purp in his sharp claw as Silver looked hurt. But, then, Silver's expression darkened, "Now mark me...The lot of yeh! I care about one t'ing and one t'ing only! Flint's trove!"

Jim felt a little hurt, just like Linnea and Morph. They really believed that the cyborg genuinely, truly cared for each of them equally, but he just claimed that he only cared about the riches of Treasure Planet. It seemed as though Silver's true colors were revealed as he continued, "Yeh think I'd risk it all for the sake of some nose-wipin' little whelp and his bony lass?!"

Jim and Linnea's expressions each showed pain and shock as they remained silent in the barrel, still listening. Jim seemed betrayed while Linnea became livid; Linnea thought that if anyone was to be part of mutiny, it'd be Scroop, but now she realized that Silver was the ring leader. Although Jim didn't know about Linnea's past, she had been betrayed and hurt by men she knew all her life, so now, enough was enough! The two listened on as Scroop mocked Silver, "What was it now?...'Oh, you got the makin's o' greatness in yeh!'"

Silver looked shocked at Scroop's words before he shouted, "Shut yer yap! I cozied up t' that kid and his girl t' keep 'im off our scent!...But I ain't gone soft!"

Linnea and Jim continued to listen until they heard Onus from the crow's nest, "Planet hoo! There it is!" The mutinous crew in the galley hurried and pushed each other to get a good look at the planet while Jim and Linnea carefully and quietly climbed out of the barrel. The two were still dazed by what they had just heard, but they were both determined to help any crew members who were oblivious to the mutiny. Linnea whispered, "I have to warn them before the mutiny battle begins. They could attack at any moment and those oblivious to this must be warned."

"You're right," Jim nodded as he carefully opened a door, "This is a back door to the galley. Sneak out of this door and get to Amelia's quarters. Tell her about the mutiny...Be careful that they don't see you and go quickly."

"I will...and if Silver comes back here, give him a good thrashing for me, okay, Jimmy?"

"Yep, I'll show him mutiny. Now, go!" Linnea kissed Jim on the cheek and embraced him before she snuck out the back door and hurried to Amelia's quarters to warn her and Doppler of the mutiny. Surprisingly, no one saw her because they were too focused on seeing THE Treasure Planet. Silver began searching his pockets as he marveled at the sight of the planet, muttering, "Where the devil's me glass?"

Meanwhile, Jim remained in the galley until he and Morph spotted Silver's spyglass; suddenly, Jim acted as if he remembered something as he raced up the stairs before he and Silver collided on the galley stairs. Silver seemed surprised as he exclaimed, "Oh, Jimbo! Playing games, are we?"

Silver's cyborg arm made a menacing clenching movement as Jim backed up and nodded, "Yeah...Yeah, Morph and I are playing games..." Jim backed up near a pick and clenched onto to it, making sure Silver didn't see it as the cyborg neared closer and closer, "Oh, I see...Well, I-uhh...was never good at games...Always hated to lose..." Silver's arm audibly cocked itself, almost as if he were cocking a gun while Jim looked on. Finally, Jim lunged forward and stabbed Silver in his artificial leg with the pick as he shouted back, "Me too! That was for mutiny, lying, and hurting Linnea and me!"

Jim ran off with Morph as Silver recoiled in pain and shock before he yanked out the pick and angrily made his way up the deck. His cybernetic eye turned red as he searched for Jim, and to an extent, Linnea. Jim knew that he had to get to Linnea and help her get to safety before Silver or his mutinous men got her, so he ran as fast as he could to Amelia's cabin. Silver shouted, "Righto," as he saw Jim just in time, slamming and locking the door to Amelia's quarters. "Blast it all!" Silver cursed as he watched the door shut.

Linnea was inside trying to convince Amelia and Doppler to listen, but they refused; they thought she had just heard the wrong conversation or that she was a child making up a story for attention. "Please, you must believe me! Jim and I heard everything that Scroop and Silver said!"

Amelia paced back and forth casually as she stated, "I understand that you are grieved by Arrow's death, as am I, my dear...But, mutiny on my ship?! Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous."

Before anyone could think or speak, Jim burst through the door, locking it behind him. Linnea ran to the teen as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Jim! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?"

"I didn't get caught."

"Jim, my boy. What's going on?" Doppler asked as Jim explained, "Linnea has suspected mutiny among our fellow sailors, and she's right. Silver's planned mutiny for all of us; we have to get outta here safely and get to the planet's shores."

"Now do you believe me?" Linnea replied as the two adults nodded in agreement.

Outside Amelia's cabin, Silver whistled with his artificial fingers to get HIS crew's attention as he announced, "Change in plans, lads. We move NOW!" The traitorous rogues cheered to the high skies of Heaven as they prepared to attack. Silver grinned maliciously as he commanded, "Strike 'er colors, Mr. Onus!"

"With pleasure, Cap'n!" Onus replied as he tore down Amelia's flag, replacing it with the flag known as the 'Jolly Roger.' As the mutiny battle began, Hands scurried down into the armory and grabbed several firearms as the crew cheered.

Back in the cabin with Amelia and the gang, Amelia hurried to her cabinet to grab the map and several of her guns as she loaded a small pistol, cursing, "Pirates on my ship! I'll see they all hang!"

Amelia continued loading her pistol as she also tossed ammunition and a couple pistols to Linnea and Jim. Although Linnea was unfamiliar with the culture of humans, she did understand the basic mechanics of using a pistol and/or a blade just by watching human sailors from below the water; she wanted to come on land to use one herself, but she wanted to just use it and never dreamed of killing anyone with one. As quickly and carefully as she could, the siren loaded her pistols to full capacity before stuffing the weapons and the left-over ammo into her belt.

After loading the pistol, Amelia tossed it to Doppler as she questioned, "Doctor, familiar with these?"

Doppler fiddled with the gun as it rolled in his trembling hands, "Oh, I've seen...Ehhh-Well, I read-" Suddenly, Doppler accidentally shot off the gun as a loud bang was heard. The group stared at Doppler in shock and disbelief as the doctor answered, "Ehh...No, I'm not."

Amelia rolled her eyes as she reached for the map, causing Morph to look at his reflection on the bronze orb in awe. Amelia stared Jim in the eyes as she stated, "Mr. Hawkins! Guard this with your life!" She tossed the orb to Jim before Morph caught the map, swallowing the circular ball as Jim tried to pry the map out of Morph's mouth, "Morph, gimme that!"

Morph made a cry of protest while Linnea soothed the creature, "Morph, hide in my coat and stay put, please. We have to get out of here alive." Morph nodded in approval as he hid in Linnea's trench coat before the girl neared the door with two, loaded hand pistols in her hands. She was ready to shoot anyone or anything that came through the door, but Jim grabbed Linnea as the group ran down to a secret passage while Scroop and Silver struggled with the locked door.

Silver shouted, "Are yeh takin' all day about it?!" Silver quickly used his cybernetic limbs to fashion a large weapon as he blasted the door, leaving behind debris and smoke before he noticed a hole in the room. Silver cursed before he threw a member of his crew into the hole, "Oh! Stop 'em!" The crew member ran down the hole and chased after the group as they escaped from the traitorous pirates.

The group ran down the hole as fast as possible until Doppler stumbled. Amelia stopped to help him before the chase resumed. The group made it to a dark area as Amelia ordered over her shoulder, "To the long boats, quickly!" Everyone hurried into the longboats while Amelia used her laser pistol to lock the door. Bored out of his mind by being told to stay put was too much for Morph, so he stole the orb for his own entertainment.

"Morph, no!" Jim shouted as he reached for the gooey blob, trying his best to catch his friend as he jumped out of the longboat. Determined to not leave without Jim, Linnea jumped out of the boat and followed Jim, helping him try to catch Morph. Linnea had her pistols ready to aim just in case someone came through the door. All of a sudden, the pirates struck the door, charging towards the longboat as Amelia fired her pistol, "Chew on this, ya pus-filled boils!"

The blast from the rifle had no effect on the pirates as they continued to charge, so Doppler looked up at some pulleys, took aim, and fired off his pistol. Once the ropes were cut, those posing the most threat to the group fell down the hatch as Amelia and Doppler stared in shock.

"Did you really aim for that?" Amelia asked as Doppler stuttered, "You know, actually I did!"

Silver was able to close the hatch as he burst through the door, causing Amelia to shout, "Blast it," before she noticed some pulleys and had an idea, "Doctor, when I say 'now,' shoot out the forward cable; I'll take this one." Amelia quickly gestured to a cable near the stern of the longboat while Doppler nodded and took aim.

Silver turned away from Amelia and immediately went after Morph because the flying shapeshifter had the map needed to journey on Treasure Planet. Jim, Linnea, and Silver both stopped in front of each other as Morph stood between them; it was now a matter of Morph choosing a side: Jim and Linnea's or Silver's.

Jim started off the battle as he called out, "Morph! Here, Morph!"

Silver baby-talked as he coaxed Morph, "Morph...Morphy, c'mere!"

"Morph...Morph, bring it here!...C'mere!"

"Morph, come to Jim and me. Please give us the map, sweetie." Linnea coaxed as the creature started to go over to her, but Silver stopped him, "C'mere! C'mere!"

Jim joined in again as he soothed, "Morph, over here!"

"Come t' yer dad!"

" C'mere, boy, Morph!" The two different sides all continued trying to coax Morph to bring them the map, but Morph looks at each one in confusion.

Silver patted his knee as he whispered, "C'mon!"

" Morph, Morph. . . MORPH!" Jim shouted as he kept trying. Linnea smiled and gestured to Morph to come in an effort to get Morph to give her the map.

" MORPHY!" Silver shouted while Jim coaxed the poor blob, " MORPH!" Morph stared at each person, unable to decide between the two groups, so he flew into a coil of rope with the map. Silver dragged himself to it, grinning as he reached for the coil of rope, but Jim ran up and grabbed the map, stared at Silver for a moment, and then turned to run with Linnea following close behind. Silver growled in anger before he turned his cybernetic hand into  
a pistol and took aim at Jim and Linnea as the siren shot at the cyborg. However, Silver shook his head and put the flintlock down again, unable to fire at the teens.

Jim threw Linnea into the longboat before he managed to grab onto the side. He hung on for dear life, trying to push himself up and in as Amelia turned to Doppler, "Now!" The two adults fired at the pulleys, causing the longboat to fall, scraping on the hatch, but sliding  
through. Jim tried to climb into the longboat as it fell, but he struggled just to hang on as Linnea and Doppler shouted simultaneously, "Jim!"

The doctor and siren grabbed Jim by the wrists and pulled him into the longboat as it fell from the Legacy. Amelia worked at the controls of the longboat as she shouted, "Parameters met, hydraulics engaged!" The longboat headed for the planet's surface as Silver and Meltdown watched.

Silver was back on the deck of the Legacy, and he saw Meltdown at the laser cannon as he prepared to take aim, "That's it, come to papa!"

Silver grabbed him, trying to stop him from firing the cannon as he screamed, "Hold yer fire! We'll lose the map!" Meltdown didn't listen to his command, however, as he fired at the longboat. His aim may have been slightly off, but it was still fairly accurate as Doppler shouted to Amelia, "Captain! Laser bullet at twelve o' clock!"

The laser bullet hit the longboat's sails, destroying them, while Amelia clutched at her side in pain, but she continued to hold onto the tiller. The longboat got low enough to be amongst the jungle of the planet as the group held on while Amelia did her best to keep the longboat under control in the tall fungus. The longboat's nose suddenly dipped and dragged on the ground until the longboat flipped over and slid for a distance. It slowed to a stop, and Jim and Doppler pushed it off of them. They both groan wearily as the whole group recovers from the mutiny battle.

"Ow..." Jim moaned while Doppler beamed, "Oh, my goodness. . . That was more fun than I ever want to have again!" Amelia forced out a chuckle and stood up straight, straightening her coat as she explained, "Not one of my. . . gossamer landings- OH!"

Amelia suddenly clenched her teeth and clutched her side in pain as she collapsed. Doppler steadied her into a standing position again as he screamed, "Captain!" Jim and Linnea watched in concern while Amelia shooed them off. Her red hair was a total mess and her eyes are only half-open.

She answered them in a strained voice as she struggled to her feet, causing Doppler to steady her again, "Oh. . . oh, don't fuss!...Slight bruising, that's all. . . cup of tea and I'll be right as rain!" Amelia turned to Doppler as she ordered, "Mr. Hawkins...The map, if you please."

Jim pulled out the map, smiling slightly. Suddenly, it floated into the air and came apart, confusing the four sailors, especially Jim. Jim looked even more shocked and confused as the map transformed into Morph. Morph, however, laughed hysterically while Jim shouted in annoyance, "Morph?...Morph, where's the map?!"

Morph changed into the coil of rope and the map to recap what happened. The map flew into the rope and Morph changed back to his usual form as Jim became livid, "Are you SERIOUS?! It's back on the ship?!"

Morph giggled and nodded while Linnea came to blob's defense, "Now Jim, it wasn't his fault. Morph's just a trickster who loves to play games; he doesn't know any better...And anyways, I know Treasure Planet like the back of my hand. I can lead us to the treasure and back safety without Silver and his crew knowing. You must trust me on this one."

Jim huffed in anger at the foolishness of Morph, but he remembered the legends of sirens and he also remembered that sirens knew the way without a map; he trusted Linnea very much, so he heeded her advice. Amelia watched the scene before she shushed the group and commanded, "Stifle that blob. . . and get low. We've got company."

Jim, Amelia, Linnea, and Doppler watched as another longboat flew overhead, obviously containing Silver and the remaining, mutinous pirates as Amelia whispered under her breath while handing Jim a loaded pistol, "We need a more defensible position. Mr. Hawkins, Ms. Linnea...Scout ahead."

Jim took the gun from Amelia, inspecting it as he nodded, "Aye, Cap'n." Amelia nodded back before she suddenly cried out in pain, causing Doppler to come up behind her and support her.

"Steady, steady!" Doppler coaxed the feline sailor down as Linnea asked, "Doctor, do you need an assistant? I have very good healing powers."

"No, but thank you, Linnea, my dear. I think we'll be fine; you and Jim go on ahead...We'll catch up."

Linnea nodded her head and followed Jim into the thick jungle of Treasure Planet as the two overheard Doppler, "Now, let's have a look at that." The two teens looked over their shoulder at Amelia and Doppler one last time before heading off. Morph followed the two as he stayed close to Linnea, hiding in her trench coat as she lead the way.

Jim trusted Linnea, and she trusted Jim, so the two went through the woods with Linnea leading the way. Every now and then, Linnea would stop in mid-walk to feel the trees and get a sense of her surroundings before continuing. This journey seemed like it would take forever to complete, but with a siren leading the way, Jim and Linnea were determined to take home the gold and save the lives of their comrades and themselves. They each vowed inside that they would make it back to Montressor and to Sarah at ANY costs...This was the real journey between mermaid and man, and it would change the course of history for both creatures...forever.

*Please Review*


	8. A Chance Encounter with Friends & Enemie

Chapter 8: A Chance Encounter with Friends & Enemies

Jim and Linnea had been walking for a couple hours in the thick jungle until they headed into a shady area surrounded by foliage of various sorts. Every now and then, a mechanical eye popped out from between the plants, watching the group move along...until suddenly, a rustling noise was heard as the group turned around cautiously. Morph burbles in fear as Jim shushed the blob, "Shh. . . shhh. . ."

"It's all right, Morph. We're here together...Nothing's gonna happen as long as we're here..." Linnea soothed with a smile as she and Jim defensibly cocked their pistols, nearing closer and closer to the direction of the noise. Jim leaned over a patch of tube-like plants, looking down nervously, while Linnea followed close behind with her gun in hand. And then, a robotic face appeared in front of them, screaming, "YAAAHHHH!"

Jim and Linnea didn't know how to react, so they screamed too,"YAAAHHHH!" This fright caused Jim to fall backward as the robot climbed on top of him, inspecting him carefully, "Oh, this is fantastic! Two carbon-based life forms come to rescue me at last!"

Jim managed to push himself up while Linnea neared closer with her gun...until the robot suddenly kissed Linnea on the cheek, giving her an electric shock, and hugged Jim from behind, "I just wanna hug ya and squeeze ya and hold ya close to me!"

Linnea didn't know what to think, so she kept her gun cocked and ready to fire if necessary. Honestly, the gang didn't know if this robot was on their side, Silver's side, or beutral...However, the robot seemed to like Jim as he clung to the teenage boy. Each time Jim attempted to pry the robot him, it would cling to him again; this annoyed Jim as he stated, "Alright, okay-Would ya let go of me?!"

The robot abruptly let go of Jim, jumped back, and attempted to brush the teen off as he apologized, "Whoops! Sorry, sorry. . ."

The robot draped one arm on Jim's shoulder as he smiled. Jim and Linnea exchanged glances as the siren dropped her weapon before the robot explained, "I-I-I've been, uh, marooned, for, uh, for so long. . . I mean, solitude's fun, don't get me wrong, but for heaven's sakes after a hundred years, YA GO A LITTLE NUTS! A-heh-heh-heh..."

The robot saw that the teens weren't amused as he took his arm away from Jim and apologized again, "Oh, uh, I'm sorry...Uh, my...I am, um...My name is...uh..." Suddenly, the robot clutched his head in frustration as Morph glanced at him and turned into a miniature version of said robot. The head opened as Morph made cuckoo noises several times like the annoying clocks to emphasize the robot's mental deterioration.

Jim and Linnea smirked at Morph, but Jim patted him on the head, causing him to change back to his pink form. Just as that episode stopped, the robot revealed, "B.E.N.! Of course, I'm B.E.N., Bio-Electronic Navigator!" B.E.N had a chest plate on him, and it contained a large compass that suddenly popped open when he revealed his name. He popped it back into place as he caught his breath, "Oops! And you are?"

Jim leaned down to pick up his fallen pistol as he answered, "Jim."

"And I'm Linnea." The siren answered as B.E.N grabbed Jim's hand and shook it up-and-down violently. "Oh! Whatta pleasure t' meetcha, Jimmy!"

"It's 'Jim'." Jim snarled as he pulled his hand away from B.E.N's grip. Then, B.E.N got loose somehow and leaned against Jim again, knocking him down the the ground as the robot smiled, "Anyway-"

Jim turned to leave, but B.E.N followed the group as Linnea replied, "B.E.N, it was nice meeting you, but we really have to go now."

"Why, fair girl?"

Jim huffed impatiently before answering the question, "Look, we're kind of in a hurry. We've gotta find a place to hide and there's pirates chasing us...and-"

"Oh, PIRATES! Don't get me started on pirates, I don't like them!"

"You too?" Linnea cocked her head as B.E.N lied down on a rock, explaining, "I remember Captain Flint! This guy had such a temper-"

"Wait wait wait, you knew Captain Flint?" Jim beamed as B.E.N nodded, "I think he suffered from mood swings, personally! Now, I'm not a therapist in any way, but I-You let me know when I'm rambling-"

"But that means...but wait, but then, you gotta know...about the treasure?"

"Treasure..."

"Yeah, Flint's trove." Linnea beamed with a smile as Jim smirked, "Y'know, uh, Loot of a Thousand Worlds?" To show B.E.N what they were talking about, Morph turned into a small treasure chest, spilling out gold coins. B.E.N. stood up, concentrating on his memories as he sighed, "It's, well, i-it's all a little- little- little ffuuuzzzyyy, fuzzy," before he exclaimed, "Wait! I re-re-re-remember! I do! I- TREASURE! Lots of treasure! Buried in the centroid-centroid-centroid of the mechanism! And there was this big door, opening and closing! and opening and cloooooosssssiiiing."

Jim and Linnea exchanged glances of joy before they beamed a smile at each other while B.E.N continued, "And Captain Flint wanted to make sure that nobody could ever get to his treasure, so I- I helped him...YeeeaAAAHHH, DATA INACCESSIBLE! And reboot! Reboot! REBOOT, REBOOT-" B.E.N started to spark as Linnea and Morph ducked before Jim slapped the robot hard in the face, causing the robot to whine, "Ohh!"

"B.E.N.!" Jim shouted as B.E.N became calm again, however, he forgot all that happened, "And you are?"

"Wait wait wait, what about the treasure?!"

"I wanna say 'Larry' for you, young man, and 'Mary' for you, young lady."

Jim became frustrated as he shouted off different things the robot said, "The. . . centroid of the mechanism thing, uhh...or-"

"I'm sorry, m-m-m-my memory isn't what it used to be. . . I've lost my mind!...A-hah-hah, I've lost my miiind!...You haven't found it, have you?"

"Uh..."

"Found what, B.E.N? What are you looking for?" Linnea asked, concerned, as B.E.N. turned around and pointed to an empty spot on his head, where a few loose wires stuck out, "My missing piece? My primary memory circuit?"

The teens really wanted to help, but they had to leave or be caught by murderous pirates. Jim decided to let the robot down gently, "Look, B.E.N...We really wanna help, but we really need to find a place to hide, okay? So we're just gonna be, uh, y'know. . . moving on."

B.E.N looked a little hurt as he sighed, "Oh, uh...so, well, then, I guess, uh...this is 'goodbye', huh? I-I'm sorry that I'm so...dysfunctional. So, uh...go ahead! And I do understand...So, uh...bye." B.E.N. began to roll away, but the teens felt bad for him as Linnea pleaded with glowing eyes, "Oh, Jim! He's so lonely; we have to take him with us. He might help us and I don't think he's on Silver's side at all... Let him come along."

Jim ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply, smiling down at his Linnea before he called out, "Look, B.E.N, if you're gonna come along, you're gonna hafta stop talking."

B.E.N turned around and cheered loudly as he hugged Jim and Linnea tightly, "HUZZAH! HA HA HA HAAAH! Oh, this is fantastic! Me and my best buddies out lookin' for a...a...," Ben started before Jim gave him a death glare. The stare caused B.E.N to make a zipper motion with his mouth as he whispered, "Being quiet!"

"And you have to stop TOUCHING me!"

"Touchin' and talkin'! Heh-heh. . . my two big 'no-nooos'!"

Jim and Linnea nodded in agreement before heading out again. Jim started looking through the foliage of the jungle as he replied, " 'Kay. . . now I think that we should head-"

B.E.N stopped the group by heading over to some foliage and pulling it aside, revealing a cool hideout as he asked, "Say, listen, before we go out on our 'big search'-Um, would you mind if we made a quick pit-stop at my place? Eh-heh-heh, kind of urgent..."

The teens looked at the large structure until Jim beamed, "B.E.N., I think you just solved our problem!" With that, the gang now had a hideout for escaping from the pirates and planning a new strategy to get the treasure and get off the planet.

B.E.N led the group to his house while Doppler followed behind, carrying Amelia with him as Jim and Linnea followed them. Jim and Doppler looked around curiously as B.E.N. attempted to clean up the place somewhat, "Ah, pardon the mess, people, I j- You'd think in a hundred years I would've dusted a little more often, but, y'know, when you're bachin' it you tend to ah. . . let things go!" B.E.N looked up from his 'cleaning,' eager to change the subject as he noticed Amelia and Doppler together, "Awww, i'n't that sweet? I find old fashioned romance so touching, don't you? How 'bout DRINKS for the happy couple?"

B.E.N. quickly grabbed and held up a tray to Doppler. On it were two containers of what appeared to be a mixture of motor oil and soap. One even had a wrench sticking out of it, and the other had bubbles floating out of it.

The whole group, especially Doppler, looked at it, disgusted, before looking up at B.E.N. Doppler attempted to smile as he refused the offer, "Ooh...uh, ooh, no, thank you, we don't drink...And we're, uh, we're not a couple." The cat and the dog smiled at each other before Doppler surveyed the area, "Look at these markings! They're identical to the ones on the map! I suspect these are the hieroglyphic remnants of an ancient culture!"

Amelia attempted to sit up, but she was knocked down by her wound and a gentle Dr. Doppler as she commanded, "Mr. Hawkins! Stop anyone who tries to approach- ooh!"

Amelia winced in pain as she laid back down, causing Linnea to come over and put her hands on the wound. Linnea closed her eyes until they opened when a glowing, blue light appeared around her hands, relieving Amelia of some of her agonizing pain while all the men watched. Although they didn't know it, Linnea was one of a few special sirens gifted with special, psychic abilities, similar to the vampires of the Twilight saga. Her powers were healing and empathy, two very special yet powerful gifts. Doppler watched the scene before Linnea stopped her ability and moved close to Jim. Doppler took this time to push Amelia as he sternly ordered, "Yes, yes, now listen to me! Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds!...And lie still."

"Very forceful, Doctor. Go on, say something else." Amelia taunted before Jim turned to Linnea, "What was that? How did-how did you do that?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm one of a few special sirens, gifted with special, psychic abilities. Healing is one of them, but empathy is the other one."

"Mr. Hawkins, she's not only a woman but she's a siren, like the legends say?!" Amelia gasped as Jim nodded, "Yep, Cap'n. She is."

"We're sorry we lied, Captain, but we had to protect her secret from pirates who might use her for their own purposes. We hope you can understand." Doppler explained as Jim cut in, "But no one's gonna hurt her! They'll get over my dead body before they lay a hand on her."

Amelia looked on at the group, paying extra attention to Linnea before smiling, "Linnea's an extraordinary gal. It's not everyday you meet a siren who lives in the water all her life, and yet she knows the basic mechanics of using an oven, stove, lights, and guns...I say she's a keeper, Jim, so hold onto her as much as possible. One never knows how precious something is until it's gone forever."

Jim saluted Amelia as he draped a protective arm around Linnea's waist, causing the siren to rest her head on Jim's chest as he answered, "Aye, Cap'n. I promised my mom and Doppler that I'd protect her, and I don't break my promises."

The tender moment stopped as B.E.N started waving at the entrance, "Hey, look! There's summore of your buddies! HEY, FELLAS! WE'RE OVER HERE, FELLAS-"

Linnea saw what Ben was waving at as she shouted, "B.E.N, no! They're the ones after us! Don't lead them here; you'll get us all killed!" All of the pirates saw the entrance, took aim with their flintlocks at B.E.N, and fired at the poor robot. B.E.N. barely dodged the bullets as Jim pulled him down, telling the robot to stay put. Linnea and Jim cocked their guns before they both leaned out of the entrance, firing quickly and defensibly at the pirates.

Also across the way, Silver yells to his men as he gestured to them to drop their weapons and commanded, "Stop wastin' yer fire!" This earned a whin of protest from the traitors as all fire ceased from both sides if the battlefield. Silver stared up at the entrance, calling out, Hellooo, up there!...Jimbo? Linnea, fair lassie?" When no answer came, Silver climbed up to the entrance, holding a white flag as he smirked, "If, eh, it's alright with the captain...I'd like...a short word with yeh! No tricks! Just a little palaver!...Actually, someone wants to see the fair lass, so could you come out and talk to me?"

Jim and Linnea listen, then look to Amelia, who begins to sit up as she claims, "Come to bargain for the map, doubtless. Pestilential-"

Doppler sighed as he pushed Amelia down again, whispering, "Captain..." before Jim had an idea, "That means. . . that he thinks we still have it! I think we should talk to him, just see what happens, okay? Things will be fine, I swear."

Linnea and Jim headed down the slope towards Silver and a masked figure, Morph following behind them. Silver was currently using his cybernetic arm as a crutch, and he had a very noticeable limp in his cybernetic leg. As soon as he saw Silver, Morph flew over to him as the fat traitor hugged the blob, "Ah, Morphy! I'd wondered where yeh'd lit off to!" After the embrace, Silver eased himself down onto a rock with some hel from the hooded figure, groaning. His cybernetic arm changed from the crutch back into a hand, and he patted his cybernetic leg in pain.

Silver tried to appear friendly as he groaned and laughed, "Oh! Ooh! Oh, this poor old leg's downright snarky since that game o' tag we had in the galley, eh-heh?...Eh..." Jim and Linnea just glared at Silver coldly as his smile faded before he became serious, "Linnea, I have someone for you to meet before we discuss things...Don't be shy, he's a real blast from your past..." Linnea looked confused until the figure took of his hood, revealing a face that frightened Linnea for years. The man was none other than her fiancé from the sea, the one who beat her since being engaged to her on day 1. The fiancé was tall, scrawny, and he had an arrogant look to him that made him appear to be smelling dog crap all the time; he had thick, blonde hair that came to his shoulders, piercing, beady, black eyes, and fair skin. All of these features made Linnea fear him, especially his silver tongue and forceful hands.

The man gazed at Linnea before gasping, "Linnea, my beautiful, lovely fiancé! At last, I have found you again. I'm so happy to see you, but I don't understand why you left two weeks before the wedding...Did you have pre-wedding jitters or were you just disobedient to your caring husband-to-be?"

At first, Linnea was afraid of the man because of what he did to her, but because of Jim, her self-confidence grew. This time, she would face her fiancé head-on without fear, even though she was sorely afraid of what he'd do to her or even Jim. Linnea scoffed at her fiancé as she rolled her eyes, "Really, Reginald? I wasn't so glad to see you; you should've just put your tail between your legs and gone home when I left...I wasn't coming back, and don't give me this 'pity me' crap either! You know why I left, you hard-headed wuss!"

Reginald gasped at Linnea's words, along with everyone else, as he exclaimed, "L...Linnea, I don't understand why you left...Surely, there's some logical explanation. If I did anything to upset you, I-"

"Save it for someone who actually gives a crap, mama's little nancy boy! I would rather marry the fattest whale in the universe than marry you, even if my dead carcass had to marry you! You can go home and die in the abyss for all I care, so leave and never come back. I don't want you here, and I'm not going back home with you..." Reginald started to get angry as he mocked, "Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous! My own wife talking to me this way!"

"I'm not your wife and I never will be!"

"Oh, tish-tosh! We're going home right now to be married, whether you like it or not!" Reginald grabbed Linnea's wrist forcefully, causing the girl to wince and struggle in pain as she was literally dragged by the blonde. After seeing Linnea in pain for long enough, Jim intervened even though he didn't understand the situation. Jim grabbed Reginald's arm and pushed the scrawny man away, grabbing Linnea and placing her behind him as he shielded her from the blonde.

Reginald recovered as he whispered, "Oh, I see how it is...The traitorous girl falls for the juvenile delinquent...Step aside, my good man. Linnea and I are to be married, so don't get involved."

Jim gained inner courage as he defended his friend, "No, she looks like she doesn't want to go with you, so back off! Linny's my friend and I won't let anyone hurt her," before he shoved the blonde away, "Get lost and cry to mommy! Go home and leave Linny alone."

Reginald recovered from the shove, only to shove Jim back and bump into Linnea, knocking her down. Jim became angry at this and punched Reginald in the face, drawing blood from the blonde's nose. The blonde wiped blood from his face before he charged at Jim, only to be broken up by Silver, "That's enough, blonde beauty! We don't need to fight right now, so knock it off!" The blonde backed off as he hissed and snarled at Jim, staring at the brunette and his former fiancé coldly.

Silver gathered himself in a serious manner before turning to Jim and Linnea, "Whatever you heard back there, at least the part concernin' you two...I didn't mean a word of it! If that bloodthirsty lot had thought that I'd gone soft, they'd've gutted us both!...If we play our cards right, we can both walk away from this rich as kings!"

"Yeah?" Jim beamed as Silver laughed, "You get me that map, and, eh, an even portion o' the treasure is yours!"

"Boy...you are really something," Jim sneered as Silver stared at Jim and Linnea in stunned silence. Jim continued with his speech, "All that talk of greatness... light comin' off my sails...What a joke!"

"Wh- well- Now just see here Jimbo-"

"I mean at least you taught me one thing: stick to it, right? Well that's just what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna make sure that you never see one drubloon of Linnea and I's treasure!"

"That treasure is OWED me, by t'under!"

"Well try to find it without OUR map. . . BY T'UNDER!"

Silver clenched his teeth and glared at the teens as he explained, "Ohhh, you still don't know how t' pick yer fights, do yeh, boy? Now mark me: either I get that map by dawn t'morro', or so help me, I'll use the ship's cannons t' blast yeh all t' KINGDOM COME! Reginald'll get his bony lass back and your dead carcass if you don't give me what I want!"

"Just try to take me and make me go back with that arrogant blowfish! I'd rather put a gun to my head and die with Jim than go back with my lousy excuse for a fiance!" Linnea retorted in the same tone of voice as Silver. The two teens stood firm, still glaring at Silver while Morph watched the confrontation in fear. Silver started back down the hideout as he shouted, "Morph! Hop to it...NOW!"

Morph made a frightened noise and quickly flew behind Linnea's shoulder as she petted the poor creature. Jim glanced quickly at Morph, then continued his firm glare at Silver. Silver sneers at all three of them and stalked off as quickly as he could, given his 'wounded' leg and arm that he was using as a crutch. With that, Jim and Silver showed their true colors, picking a side to fight on as tension grew between the two groups. Silver was gonna get his treasure while Reginald was gonna get Jim's dead carcass and his Linnea back. Linnea and Jim were gonna stop them, however, even if it took every ounce of strength and courage in their body to do so.

The hideout became darker as tension brewed between Silver and Jim, along with Reginald and Linnea. Doppler looked over Amelia, practically leaning over her as she appeared to be getting worse as she winced, "Gentlemen...we must...stay together, and...and...ohh!"

"And what? What?! 'We must stay together and' WHAT?!"

"Doctor? You have. . . wonderful eyes!"

"She's lost her mind!" Doppler exclaimed as Jim coaxed, "Well, you gotta help 'er!"

"Dang it, Jim, I'm an astronomer, not a doctor!...I mean, I am a doctor, but I'm not that kind of doctor! I have a doctorate, it's not the same thing! You can't help people with a doctorate; you just sit there and you're useless!"

Doppler sighed in frustration as he buried his head in his hands. Jim did his best to comfort his friend as he patted the dog's shoulder, "It's okay, Doc. . . It's alright."

Doppler looked up at Jim and nodded gratefully. Jim smiled before walking over to the entrance of B.E.N.'s hideout where Linnea and B.E.N were as the robot exclaimed, "Yeah, Doc! Jimmy knows exactly how to get out of this, it's jus- it's just Jimmy has this knowledge of things...heh!...Jim, any thoughts...at all?

Jim walked past Linnea as she scooted over, looking outside into the dark where a small fire made by the pirates was visible. Jim sighed deeply as he explained, "Without the map, we're dead...If we try to leave, we're dead...If we stay here-"

Morph screamed at the top of his lungs as he cried, "We're DEAD! We're dead we're dead we're dead!" Morph grinned at Jim, who wasn't very amused, so he stopped with his pranks for the time being. Meanwhile, Jim stared at Linnea, who seemed deep in thought as she stared at the fire in the distance. Something bothered Linnea and Jim didn't know why. Who was that man known as Reginald? Was he really Linnea's fiancé, the one she ran from back home, or was that man a hoax that wanted to hurt Linnea? Jim needed to know what was going on, so he decided to talk to the siren alone and out of earshot of his comrades. Jim turned to Doppler, B.E.N, Morph, and Amelia before saying, "Guys, would you excuse Linny and I for a sec? We really need to talk alone."

"Of course, Jimmy! I have a room upstairs where you can talk!" B.E.N replied as he pointed to a small set of stairs. Jim nodded and thanked the robot before he and Linnea walked up those stairs and went inside the room. Jim locked the door behind him before he noticed Linnea was pacing the room, clutching her jacket closer to her as Jim came up behind the girl. Something was off about Linnea as Jim neared her, especially when she winced in fear from Jim's gentle touch. Jim gasped in shock as he asked, "Linny, what's going on here? Who was that blonde sissy and why was he with Silver?"

Linnea wiped her eyes for any tears that threatened to fall as she explained, "...That man was my fiancé, Reginald."

"The one you ran away from?"

"...Yes, I ran away from my home to escape my marriage to him. I ran two weeks before the wedding and swam exactly 120 miles without rest to your beach...I couldn't marry him!"

"Why?...Linny, is he after you? Did he hurt you?"

"...I would tell you, but you'd never believe me..."

"Linny, I'll listen to anything you have to say, so just tell me. If you won't tell me about Reginald, at least tell me about your past."

"Why would you want to know?"

"I'm curious to know more about you...If I can understand your past, maybe I can help you face Reginald if he comes after you again..."

"Okay, I only told Sarah about my past the day after we met, so don't you tell anyone else."

"Understood." Jim nodded as Linnea sighed before telling her tale, "...My mother was a very beautiful, kind siren who gave birth to me on a summer day in June...My father, Ms. Merina, and Merina's husband were present. She was doing so well during delivery, but she had brain problems during the birth and died slowly and painfully because of it...Father blamed me for the death but Merina and her husband defended me, saying I was an innocent child and that the death was accidental...Father couldn't tolerate, look, or even love me because of Mom's death, so when I was 7, he left and never came back..."

"My father left when I was 7 too."

"I know...Sarah told me. That's when I began to blame myself for the death; I killed my mother!"

"No, Linnea! Don't go there; it wasn't your fault, so don't blame yourself. It could've happened to anyone, so don't listen to what your father said; he's wrong."

"Merina and her husband, Sebastian, told me the same thing you and Sarah said, yet I still blamed myself...Then, Sebastian died when I was 10 from a mysterious, fatal illness that killed him slowly and painfully, just like my mother did...I was deeply grieved by this, as was Merina, because Sebastian treated me like his own daughter even though he and Merina had children of their own...I would never sit in a father's lap to read a bedtime story, never practice a waltz in my house, and never walk down the aisle with my father when I wed my true love. I lost that privilege when Sebastian died and I was very saddened by that."

"I'm so sorry, Linny..."

"That's not even the half of it! Wait until you hear about Reginald...Reginald was a very arrogant, sissy, little mama's boy who was spoiled rotten, had a high position in the government, was extremely rich, and wanted to marry me greatly."

"You said you were arranged to marry him?"

"Yes, but I didn't love him. In fact, I didn't particularly like him either. I thought he was too stuck up for me and so out of my league...He was 21 and I was 16; he was high class and I was middle class...I loved adventure and he didn't."

"You were still a child..."

"Yes, I was...That's how marriages work bak home."

"Wierd...Anyways, who arranged it? Merina?"

"No, she wanted me to marry who I chose, but the social government wouldn't allow that! Reginald's parents arranged it and forced Merina to go along with it in exchange for money after the wedding...Merina refused to take money if it would make me unhappy, but they still forced her to do it...When she told me about it, I refused immediately, so she told me the story of her marriage to Sebastian."

"Tell me."

"...Merina was an albino siren with white-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, fair skin, and a pale blue tail...Everyone thought she was ugly, except for Sebastian. He had pale green eyes, fair, freckled skin, red hair like Amelia's, and a dark green tail, and he too was called ugly...The two met at fourteen and fell in love, but they were too young to marry; their parents saw how much in love they were, so they arranged for the two to marry when they came of age two years later...They married and had three children together years before I was born."

"Wow..."

"I know, 'wow'...Her story was one of love and I deeply wished for that, but it never happened. I tried to at least like Regina,d, but he was too cruel...especially when he b- When he...Forget it."

"No, what did he do? Linnea, please tell me." Linnea trembled in fear as she moaned, 'no,' to Jim, crying silent tears as she sniffed and wiped them away. Jim placed a gentle hand on Linnea's shoulder as she jumped into his arms, crying, "He hurt me! Oh, gosh, the pain! The pain!"

"What did he do?" Jim questioned as he embraced Linnea, good and tight, shushing her as he threaded his fingers in her long hair. Linnea sniffled and gasped before she caught hold of her emotions again and explained, "Everyday since day 1 of being engaged to him, he got more and more sinister...I was rebellious because I wanted freedom from the stupid law, a law created by male sirens during the time of Captain Flint."

"Why?"

"To keep the women in line and make the society patriarchal. I just wanted to make an example of strong women by fighting the law and making the women and men equal. No superior genders, just equality all around...As Merina and Sebastian always told me, 'if a man can do it, a woman can too.'"

"How'd you cope with that nancy boy?"

"I would often go on long journeys to escape my husband, especially when I began living with him before the wedding; it was part of the law, you know...But when I returned one day, it was different from all those other times...On that fateful day when I came home from a long walk, he angrily asked me where I was and I shrugged him off, saying it was none of his business. He knocked me to the ground by slapping me in the face and told me to never disobey him or go on long journeys again. He told me I was a housewife, so act like one."

"That brute!"

"It didn't stop there because I rebelled against him. Ever since the first beating, I was beaten brutally by Reginald every day before the wedding, and I made excuses for him over and over until Merina saw through the lies...She noticed I covered up my scars and bruises, so she confronted me and I told her the truth...Merina and her grown children were determined to help me escape my marriage and fight for equality among the genders...After she and the children found out, she forced me to live with her back at the house I was raised in."

"What did Reginald do?"

"...He confronted me at the house and pleaded with me in tears to come back, but I told him I was leaving him and was not gonna marry him. I scoffed at him and mouthed him off by saying, 'Just go take your lacy, sissy tail and go drink some spirits with your bosom friends, you wuss!' When he heard that, he told me in a threatening tone as he neared closer to me, 'You are a housewife, and I'll make you act like one! I'm tired of your rebellion against me and the society, so you leave me with no choice! There's only one way to prove who runs this house: A battle of dominance!'...He advanced on me and grabbed my wrists, pulling them forcefully behind my back as he tried to...He tried to rape me!"

Linnea started to weep into Jim's chest, muffling her cries as Jim held onto her tighter. His face widened in fear and shock as he shook his head in disbelief, whining, "Oh, Linny...I'm sorry. Did he succeed?"

"Miraculously, he didn't. Merina hit him with a seaweed broom and her two male children out of the total three, along with the husband of her only daughter shoved Reginald to the ground. They threatened to put him in his death bed if he ever hurt or touched me again as they kicked him out. When he turned to leave, he threatened me by uttering this phrase, 'You'll never escape me! You'll never leave because no matter where you go, I will find you! I love you too much to let you go, my precious siren!'...Although he acted crazy, he gave Merina and I an idea: I had to leave that night while everyone was asleep, go onto land as a human, and never return to the sea."

"And, I'm guessing it worked?"

"Yes...I'm sorry, Jim. I should've told you! I just-"

"It's all right, Linny. I won't let him or any man hurt you. I promised to protect you because I...I guess I...I love you."

"...What?"

"I've been bottling it up for so long, but I can't hold back anymore. Linnea, I love you so much and I will protect you from any harm. You have my word."

"Oh, Jim...I love you too. I always have since we met that day, and I'm grateful for your help. I always knew you were different from other men and that I could count on you." Linnea hugged Jim tightly as he warmed into the embrace, returning the hug as he kissed Linnea passionately on the lips. Linnea's heart skipped a beat as she wrapped her arms around Jim's neck, kissing him back with the same passion until the two broke away for air. They stared into each other's eyes until they let go and returned downstairs, holding hands and smiling. Nothing else happened that night except for something great!

The two returned only to feel the tension and gloom of the room as they tried to figure out what to do. Amelia was getting worse, so Linnea had to use her healing powers again, but it was only minimizing her pain. After a while, even B.E.N felt concerned as he noticed Jim was being distant and unable to think of a plan, so he broke the silence, "Well! I think that, eh, Jimmy could use a little 'quiet time' to think...eh-heh-heh, so I'll just...slip out the back door..."

Jim and Linnea rise from their seats and suddenly sat up straight as Jim exclaimed, "Back door?"

"Oh, yeah! I get this delightful breeze through here," B.E.N explained as Linnea and Jim looked into the tunnel, causing B.E.N to ramble on, "Which I think is important, because ventilation among friends-"

"Woah. . . what is all this stuff?"

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the  
inside of this planet? . . . . Not a clue!"

Jim began to position himself and Linnea to go down the tunnel as he called out, "Hey, Doc! Doc, I think I found a way outta here!"

Doppler looked over at Jim and Linnea as he retorted, "No, no, Jim, wait! The captain ordered us to stay to-"

"We'll be back!" Jim smirked before he hopped down the tunnel, clutching Linnea close to his waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. B.E.N quickly followed as he hollered, "CANNONBAALLLLL!" Doppler just stood there frozen as he sighed, annoyed, "...Woof."

This was the beginning of a long journey to get to the treasure of Captain Flint first, a battle of Jim, Linnea, and their group vs. Silver and his men. Who would get to the treasure first? That was the question. But now, an abusive fiancé from Linnea's past was added to the mixture of the recipe. Would this change the course of the journey or not? There's another question, however, those questions can only be answered if you continue reading the tale of a beautiful siren and her human, sailor lover...

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	9. Flint's Loot: Located & Found

Chapter 9: Flint's Loot: Located & Found!

Linnea, Jim, Morph, and B.E.N had gone down the tunnel and came out of the smaller end. The covering was slowly lifted by Jim as he peered out. He saw Silver and a few of the other pirates asleep around the fire. Silver turned over in his sleep and snored loudly, clearly showing that he was tired beyond belief while Linnea's fiancé slept close by on his hooded cloak. Jim looked out the opening, letting Linnea take a peek before B.E.N.'s head poked up next to Jim's, then suddenly shot up somewhat higher as he yelled, "SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?!"

Morph and Linnea gasped in fear as Jim quickly grabbed B.E.N.'s mouth and held it shut, whispering in anger, "Shh, B.E.N.! Quiet!"

Jim glances at Silver and Reginald, who both groaned and shifted in their sleep as they heard B.E.N's outburst. Finally, Jim turns back to his group as he whispered again, "Okay, here it is: We sneak back to the Legacy-"

"Mm-hm!"

"-disable the laser cannons-"

"Mm-hm?"

"-and bring back the map!" B.E.N. nodded each time along with Morph and Linnea while Jim still held the robot's mouth shut. B.E.N paused before he muffled a reply, "Dat's a goo plan! I yike dat plan! The only ting is, I'm wondering, how do we get deir?!"

This caused Jim to let go of B.E.N.'s mouth and motion toward the pirates' longboat as Linnea beamed, "We're gonna get there on that longboat. Come on!"

The group snuck onto the Legacy and neared closer to the longboat. Each group member's head peeked over the side of the ship before they pulled themselves onto the large spaceship. Jim, Linnea, and Morph were able to get aboard carefully without difficulty while B.E.N had trouble and crashed to the deck with a thud, "WAAAAGH!"

"B.E.N.!" Jim groaned as B.E.N sheepishly laughed, "Sorry! Sorry..." Jim shook his head in disbelief before the four continued towards the cord of rope with the map inside it. As they got to a narrow hallway, Jim looked both ways before whispering directions to B.E.N, "Okay, Linnea and I'll get the map, you wait he-"

"Roger, Jimmy! I'll neutralize laser cannons, SIR!"

"No, no, wait, B.E.N., B.E.N.-" Jim pleaded, but it was too late; B.E.N had already taken off on his little wheels, puttering towards the control room of the ship as the robot sang, "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me! Dadada, da da! Dadada da da!"

Realizing they couldn't catch up with B.E.N, Jim and Linnea hurried to get the map alongside Morph. After singing the song down the hallway, B.E.N finally arrived at the control room. His legs sprung back into their original position as he surveyed the dark room, "Disable a few laser cannons, what is the big deal?! All we gotta do is find that one little wire- Oh, mamma!"

Down in the hangar bay, Linnea waited with Morph, praying they'd get out safely while Jim searched for the map, finally finding the bronze orb with a sigh of relief, "Ah, yes!" Jim climbed down while Linnea embraced the boy, kissing his lips with passion and relief as Morph stuck out his tongue in disgust. Linnea and Jim smiled as they prepared to leave before a deafening alarm sounded. What they didn't realize was that B.E.N had pulled the wrong plug in the control room.

B.E.N started to panic as he hit himself, "Yipe! BAD, B.E.N.! Bad! Fixing!" To stop the alarm, B.E.N. stuck the plug back in while Jim and Linnea headed for the longboats. Jim and Linnea ran down the hallway as Jim shook his head, "That stupid robot's gonna get us all-"

The two stopped on the stairs as they saw Scroop, waiting there for them. Linnea gulped as she finished Jim's sentence, "-killed."

Scroop smirked with an evil grin as he glared coldly at the two, "Cabin boy...and fair lasssssie..." Scroop snapped one of his claws open as Jim grabbed Linnea's arm, bolting down the hull with Scroop hot on their tail. The chase was on! Scroop finally caught up to Morph, who squealed and suddenly turned into a pie, splattering all over Scroop's face. Scroop growled angrily, grabbed Morph, and threw him into a suction pipe, causing the creature to squeal in pain as he was sucked up by the machine. Jim and Linnea continued running down the narrow walkway until Jim quickly turned to his right. Meanwhile, Morph banged against the tubes of the suction pipe. To defend themselves against Scroop, Jim and Linnea cocked their guns and took aim, looking around cautiously for any sign of the spider hybrid.

Suddenly, Scroop appeared, but he looked frightened by the guns. As the teens threatened Scroop with their flintlocks, the lights all went out. In the darkness, B.E.N.'s eyes flipped on like flashlights as he looked around in the pitch black darkness of the Legacy. B.E.N started to panic as he gasped, "O-okay, now, don't panic, breathing in-breathing out..."

The lights suddenly flip back on again as Jim and Linnea whirl around, staring ahead of them as they try to find Scroop, who has disappeared. Jim whirled around once more, then they both start backing up, looking around as they do so. As they backed up, Scroop's claws moved around the teens as he prepared to grab them. He was determined to snap their necks and kill them, but Morph stopped that plan. The pink blob shot out of one of the suction tubes next to Scroop's head as the spider screamed in shock and turned to look at Morph. Morph suddenly turned into a hand, pointed two fingers out, and poked Scroop in the eyes before flying back into the suction tube. Scroop cried out in agony and clutched his eyes as Jim attempted to shoot at the spider psycho. Because he was blinded, Scroop swung his claw and knocked Jim to the side, knocking the gun out of Jim's reach.

Meanwhile, B.E.N started messing with more wires as he beamed, "This has gotta be cannons!" B.E.N. pulled the wire and everything suddenly started to float upward, as if there was no gravity upon the ship. B.E.N panicked again as he sighed, "Maybe not!"

Back with Jim, Linnea, and Scroop, Jim was reaching for the flintlock as it started floating upward. As Scroop chased after the boy, Jim knocked Scroop through a grate, smashing it. They both fell out of the hole and onto the deck while Linnea looked on in shock. Scroop grabbed onto the mast to keep from falling into open space while Jim fell past him, knocking into the crow's nest before grabbing onto the flag with the Jolly Roger on it. Scroop began to climb toward Jim as Jim's gun floated past the boy. He reaches for it as he struggled, "Come on, come on, come on," before he missed it, "NO!"

Jim and Linnea looked at Scroop in horror as the spider climbed up to Jim, grinning as he opened up a claw, "Oh-ho-ho, yesss..."

Linnea gasped in fear as she witnessed Scroop sawing at the rope holding the flag down. She had to save Jim before he fell into space or became killed by the spider, but how could she do it when she was so far away from the action?

Scroop sneered at the teens as he hissed, "Do say 'hello' to Mr. Arrow for me..." Jim groaned with effort as he climbed up to the flag, trying to get a firm grasp on the mast. Scroop snarled as he leapt up the mast, intending to finish Jim off directly. As he reached for Jim, his claw reached up before he felt a sharp pain in his claw, causing him to recoil in agony as Linnea stared at him with a murderous look. What she was doing was simple and easily explainable: She cocked her own gun and shot at Scroop's, hitting him in the fleshy claw as she snarled, "Why should we be the ones to tell him?"

Jim caught onto the siren's plan as he kicked the spider, "Tell him YOURSELF!"

Scroop fell into the flag as the last few strands of the rope tore, causing Scroop to fall towards the planet. Jim got a firm hold on the mast again as Scroop looked around himself, screaming as he fell.

Back in the control room, B.E.N managed to float over to the plug he pulled as he struggled to plug it back in, "Back ya go, ya naughty plug!" With the plug back in, a purple glow shined over the deck as everything fell back to the floor with a thud, including B.E.N, "AAHHH!"

Jim and Linnea fell onto the deck with a crash as Jim sat up, rubbing his head and breathing heavily. Linnea rubbed her delicate scalp as she stood up. Morph suddenly shot out of a tube with a scream as he landed next to his teen friends. Morph, covered in soot, coughed and shook himself off as Jim smiled wearily, "Morph?"

Morph looked a little tired, but he smiled and chirped at Jim. However, the trio turned at the sound of B.E.N.'s voice as he ran up the deck, covered in wires and smoking mysteriously,"Laser cannons disconnected, Captain Jimmy, sir!...See? That wasn't so tough!" Linnea smiled at the robot before holding Jim's hand as they made it back to the hideout.

The group headed back up into B.E.N.'s hideout through the exit they left through earlier as Jim ran over to where he left Doppler and Amelia. He shook a dark figure lying on the ground as he stated, "Doc! Doc, wake up! I got the map!"

However, the faces of the four heroes suddenly fill with horror as the figure sits up, revealing himself to be Silver, not Doppler. Silver clapped as he congratulated, "Fine work, Jimbo. Fine work, indeed."

Jim and Linnea looked around the hideout as the pirates circled around them. Linnea and Jim gasped as they looked over at Doppler and Amelia, both bound and gagged as several pirates held them down. The pirates started to circle closer around them as a pirate shouted, "Thanks for showin' us the way in, boy!"

Jim looked around at the pirates, then suddenly tried to make a run for it as he grabbed Linnea's arm, but they were both caught easily as they were both held down as they struggled to get free.

To help get the teens free, Morph bit down on Meltdown's tail, causing the alien to shout and slam Morph into the ground. Morph squealed in pain and flew into Jim's pocket as B.E.N entered the hideout, but Birdbrain Mary caught him and held a dagger to his throat, sneering, "What's this sorry stick o' metal, then?!"

"Not the face!" B.E.N screamed as Silver neared Jim, snatching the map out of his hands with a smile, "Yer just like me, Jimbo...Yeh hates t' lose!"

Jim and Linnea continued to struggle as Silver grinned at them. As Reginald neared Linnea, he looked towards Silver as the cyborg looked at the map and tried to twist it open. When this failed, he rolled his eyes and turned his cybernetic hand into a scanning device to probe the map. This too failed before Silver finally turned his hand into a vice, "What the devil's the-"

The sound of Jim's laughter causes Silver to stop fooling with the map. Silver thrusts the map into Jim's hands as he orders, "Open it." The pirates let the boy go, but Jim simply glared up at Silver, his lip curling into a sneer. Silver rolled his eyes and turned his cybernetic hand into a flintlock as he pointed it at Amelia and Doppler.

"I'd get busy." Silver threatened as Amelia and Doppler shook their heads, 'no.' Linnea wanted to help Doppler and Amelia escape, but she couldn't get free herself. Linnea struggled against her bondage more as soon as Reginald grabbed her and traced a finger down her neck and back, smirking with a look of villainy that sent shivers down the girl's spine. Jim glanced at his adult friends, then glared at Silver before pressing some buttons on the map, twisting it to open the orb. He did it so fast that the pirates couldn't catch what he was doing until the map clicked several times, whirred, then opened. The green pixels flew out once more, but there were no blue lines of latitude and longitude. There was only a simple beam of green light, blinking somewhat, and leading out onto the planet. The pirates all gazed up in wonder as Silver gasped, "Oh, th' powers that be, would yeh look!"

Silver looked at the pathetic group before him before he gestured to his men, "Tie 'im up but leave the girl to her husband! An' leave 'im all with th' others 'til we- what?!" The green light suddenly pulled back into the map as Jim glared at Silver, "You want the map? You're takin' me, too."

Silver looks at Jim for a moment before he laughed, "We'll take 'em all." Coming to a decision, the entire group, including Reginald and Linnea, fit themselves into a longboat. The longboat flew silently as they followed the beam of green light from the map. Doppler and Amelia watched from the back of the skiff, concerned. Jim looked angry, Linnea looked terrified yet strong, B.E.N. looked worried, and the pirates, including Silver, all looked eager. The longboat continued to fly, then it suddenly stopped. Silver and Reginald pulled Jim and Linnea out of the longboat, B.E.N. following. All of the pirates, except for Meltdown, also got off of the boat. The group of Silver's men consisted of Birdbrain Mary,  
Turnbuckle, Pigors, Oxy, and Moron, along with Silver, Linnea, Reginald, Jim, B.E.N., and Morph. They began to follow the green light on foot. Morph whimpered as Jim pat the creature comfortingly on the head, "It's okay, Morph. . . it's okay."

Linnea came beside Jim, still held by her wrists by Reginald, who sneered at Jim in victory while B.E.N. came up behind Jim, "Jimmy, I-I don't know about you, but I'm starting to see my life. . . PASS in front of my EYES! At least, I think it's my life! WAS I EVER DANCING WITH AN ANDROID NAMED 'LUPE'?!"

"B.E.N., shh!...This isn't over yet." Linnea looked to Jim with sad eyes filling with tears as she apologized, "I'm so sorry, Jim. None if this would've happened if you had not found me on that beach-"

"Linny, don't be sorry for anything. I would rather die as a sailor with honor that knew a wonderful girl like you, than die a horrible death without you. I promised to protect you because I love you, so I don't regret anything."

"Jim, I love you too..." Linnea replied before Reginald hissed in the girl's face, "Don't say that to anyone but me, got it? I'm the one you really love! Who would ever love a mere, childish mortal like him?"

"I would, you creep! You don't love me; you only want me for my powers and beauty. If I was born ugly and powerless, you'd choose another girl, so in other words, you LUST for me. Love is pure and untainted, something you'll never know nor experience because you always seek to control things. You're incapable of real love!" Linnea retorted as she spit in Reginald's face, causing the male siren to wipe his face and slap Linnea across her own face. Reginald grabbed the girl by her chocolate brown hair and yanked at the beautiful, delicate strands near her scalp as he sneered, "When we get home, I'll make sure you never disobey me or the society again!"

Jim struggled to help Linnea as he saw her wince in pain and struggle, proclaiming, "Not if I can help it," but the pirates held the chestnut-haired boy back as they continued on, watching Silver as he looked up at the green light. It began to pulse regularly as Silver grinned, "We're gettin' close, lads! I smell treasure awaitin'!" The pirates cheered abd continued following the light. It lead them to a cliff, where it stopped suddenly, confusing the pirates as Oxy gasped, "Where is it?!"

Onus then joined in, " I see nothing! One great beeg steenking hunk of nothing!"

The map suddenly snapped shut as Silver asked Jim, "What's goin' on, Jimbo?"

"I dunno! I...I-I can't get it open!" Jim cried as he desperately tried to open the map. When it still wouldn't open, several pirates shouted in protest, "We shoulda' neva' followed this BOY!"

"I suggest yeh get that gizmo goin' again, and fast!"

"Let's rip his gizzard right out-"

"Throw heem over the cleeff!"

"Right now!" The pirates started cursing about Jim and the map while the poor boy Jim noticed an indentation in the ground. He wiped away some moss, and saw a semi-sphere dipped into the ground and the markings in it matched those on the map. Jim looked at the map before shoving it into the indentation. Suddenly, the whole planet shook bit and green lights start leading from all over it up the cliff face and into the spot where Jim had put the map. Jim quickly got up and backed away from the map, causing the pirates to be silent as the map began to rise from its spot high into the air. A giant beam of green light rose with it, and suddenly it split into a triangle, revealing a much different-looking portion of space. A green sphere, much smaller, rose to about waist-level as Silver looked at the portal in wonder, "Oh, have mercy!"

Jim stared at the blue space, different from the local green as he questioned, "The Lagoon Nebula?"

"But that's. . . half way 'cross the galaxy!" Silver explained as Jim looked at the triangular portal, then at the green sphere full of small symbols. He touched one, and the portal closed and opened again, revealing a new location. Jim did this several times as he exclaimed, "A big door. . . opening and closing!"

The pirates looked on in awe as Jim stopped pressing symbols and looked at the green sphere, "Let's see. . . Calyan Abyss. . . Montressor Spaceport!" Jim grinned and pressed a small crescent-moon-shaped symbol. The portal closed and opened again, revealing Crescentia. Jim's grin widened as he started pressing more symbols, "So that's how Flint did it! He used this. . . portal to. . . roam the universe, stealing treasure!"

"But where'd he stash it all?!...Where's...that...blasted...TREASURE!?" Silver snarled under clenched teeth as B.E.N.'s face lit up, "Treasure. . . treasure! It's. . . buried in the-"

"-buried in the centroid of the mechanism," Jim cut the robot off before he thought aloud, "What if...the whole planet IS the mechanism!"

"And the treasure is buried in the center of this planet!" Linnea finished the sentence as the pirates looked at each other before tearing into the planet's surface. Turnbuckle hit it with a pickaxe, causing it to vibrate violently as it jolted him badly. The pirates stopped digging and looked up to Silver as he hissed, "And just how in the blue blazes are we supposed to get there?!"

"Just...open the right door..." Jim smirked as he reached into the green sphere and hit the symbol right in the dead center, causing the portal to open again. It revealed a closed space with great pieces of machinery pouring energy downward as everyone present stared. Jim began to take a step forward through the portal, but Silver held Jim back, stepping through fully himself. Jim followed the rest of the way as the pirates came in behind him. None of them noticed as a small laser alarm went off, having been tripped by Silver stepping through. The pirates, Jim, Linnea, Reginald, and B.E.N. all walked in slowly, looking around. Birdbrain Mary was slightly behind the rest as he called out, "Wait for me, wait for me!"

Birdbrain Mary ran through the portal behind them all as everyone walked into the area and gasped, looking around in wonder at the massive centroid of the planet. It was covered in gold jewels, chests, and other various things, enough to make a man a rich king for life!

Silver looked around before he stated, "Th' Loot of a T'ousand Worlds!" The pirates all cheered as they literally swan in the gold while Reginald smirked, "We'll, now that you have your treasure, I'll take my treasure back home with me. Come along, Linnea; we're going to get married!"

Linnea struggled against her fiancé's grip as she screamed, "Jim! JIM! NO!"

"Linny!" Jim tried to help Linnea escape, but Reginald knocked him down before he used his own flintlock to knock Linnea out cold. The last thing she remembered was the pirates cheering in the gold while Jim laid on the ground beside her, their hands grasping one another's before her sapphire eyes closed...

** Please Review!**


	10. Rescue Romance & Happy Days

Chapter 10: Rescue Romance & Happy Days

It had been several moments since Linnea was knocked out by Reginald, but as he started making his way out of the portal to Flint's trove, Linnea started coming to. Her head hurt like crap and she felt out of place, but she suddenly realized that Reginald had knocked her out with his flintlock and Jim tried to save her but was knocked down by her fiancé. Luckily, Linnea could reach one of her weapons, the switchblade Sarah gave her, as she turned around and elbowed Reginald in the head. Reginald rubbed his head as he whipped back around to Linnea, who immediately gashed at one of the male siren's eyes. He dropped Linnea and grabbed his bleeding eye, clutching it tightly as he advanced on his fiancé with a gun as she ran. He pinned Linnea to the ground as she struggled before he started fiddling with the buttons on her jean vest, trying to see intimate parts as Linnea screamed and struggled for dear life.

To her surprise, help came to the sapphire siren as two, buff figures in dark blue pulled Reginald away, pinning him down to the ground as two smaller figures came to Linnea's aid. One of them withdrew their hood as they asked, "You okay, sweetie?"

Linnea gasped before hugging the figure as she exclaimed, "Merina?...Merina, boy am I glad to see you!"

"What about me?" The other small figure asked as she withdrew her own hood, along with the other two figures as Linnea asked, "Aqua? Dimitri? Victor?"

"Hey! You seemed like you needed us." Victor smirked while Dimitri added, "So, Aqua, Victor, Merina, and I came to help. This scumbag will never marry you nor will he touch you again. The only place he's going is either prison or his death bed. We warned him, but he's just as stubborn as ever..."

Linnea thanked her former, foster family before a weird vibe came to her. Something told her and the other sirens that something bad was going to happen to Treasure Planet, even though they had no prior knowledge from visions or clairvoyant abilities. They just felt it in their bones, so Linnea stated, "Merina, I don't know why, but I feel like something bad will happen to this planet. I have to get my friends outta there before it's too late!"

Merina nodded at this before replying, "Of course, I feel the same thing you feel right now. Must be because of a siren's connection to this place...Get inside the portal and get your friends out as quickly and safely as possible. We'll all wait here and if any trouble occurs, we'll come in after you."

"Understood."

"Good luck and may Fate get you outta here alive!" With that, Linnea ran back into the portal to find Jim and their friends so they get get outta the planet. Once she was back inside, she quickly filled the pockets of her trench coat with a few jewels, while the pirates looked away, before she found Jim. She looked for Jim and found him with B.E.N as she exclaimed, "Jim!" She ran into his arms as he called her name, embracing her as he smoothed her hair.

"How'd you get away from pretty boy?"

"I had a special parting gift from Sarah that I was able to reach for when I woke up. Besides, Merina and her children saved me. They're outside the portal right now."

"Well, I thank them for saving you, but your fiancé really hit your head there...Are you okay?"

"Yeah...Jim, I have a bad feeling about this place."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not the only who feels this way because Merina felt it too...I have a bad feeling that something terrible will happen if we don't get outta here now. We need to leave now."

"And we will, but we have to get away from these pirates. If they catch us, we're dead."

"Understood...But, what's your plan?" Linnea asked as Jim looked at an old, run-down ship before answering, "Linny, B.E.N, follow me."

B,E.N followed close by as he shivered, "This is all seeming...very familiar...I c- I can't remember WHY..."

"B.E.N., c'mon! We're gettin' outta here, and we're not leavin' empty-handed."

"B-but, Jimmy! Jimmy!"

Jim climbed into the ship with Linnea before B.E.N. looked around nervously and followed.

Meanwhile, Silver had walked up to a pile of gold and jewels as he took two fist-fulls of the treasure in his hands, " A lifetime o' searchin'...and at long last...I can TOUCH it!"

As the pirates looted more treasure, Jim, Linnea, and B.E.N explored the ship as the robot stated, "You know what's strange? I can't tell you how frustrating this is, Jimmy, 'cause there's-there's just something tha-that's nagging at the back of my mind...YAAAHHHH!"

Jim and Linnea whipped around to stare at what B.E.N. was screaming at. It was a skeleton, sitting in a throne-like chair and it was covered in old, tattered clothing. It had six eyes and alien-looking ribs and hands. Jim gasped as he examined the body, "Captain Flint?!"

"Oh my gosh! That's him?!" Linnea asked as she covered her mouth in fright while B.E.N stuttered, "In the flesh!...Well, s-sort of, except for...skin, organs, or anything that-that-that resembles flesh, that stuff there...And yet, y'know, it's so odd, y'know, I mean, I remember there was something horrible Flint didn't want anyone else to know, but I-I-I just can't remember what it was!"

Jim looked at something clutched in one of Flint's hands as he looked back at B.E.N.'s head, where a piece was missing and several loose wires hung out. He looked back to Flint's hand and tried to pry it open. Jim ended up pulling it off completely along with a piece of metal. He looked back at B.E.N as the robot sighed sadly, "Oh, a mind is a terrible thing to lose!"

B.E.N. started sobbing as Linnea comforted him, but Jim just smirked as he explained, "B.E.N...I think I just found your MIND! Hold still!

"Jimmy! You-your hands are very, very cold! Ah-" B.E.N whined before he went silent. Jim stepped back with Linnea and watched B.E.N as streams of data rushed around in his eyes. B.E.N caught hold of himself as he thought carefully about something, "Woah! HELLO!...Y'know, uh, Jimmy, I was just thinking-I was just- THINKi...It's all coming back! All my MEMORIES! Right up until Flint pulled my memory circuit so I could never tell anybody about his- BOOBY TRAP!"

Linnea looked confused as she questioned, "What booby trap? Oh my gosh, is that the bad thing I'm sensing?" All of a sudden, a loud explosion was heard from somewhere in the centroid as the trio looked up. B.E.N paused before replying, "Speaking of which...Flint wanted to make sure that nobody could ever steal his treasure, so he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than a Calypsian kite!"

After B.E.N said this, the whole centroid suddenly shook as one of the energy beams sparked dangerously. The pirates all looked around, worried, at the shaking centroid as several of the energy beams blasted through the treasure. The pirates got up and started to run back to the portal. Back on the ship, B.E.N. tried to pull Jim and Linnea along, "Run, Jimmy! Run for your life!"

The teens tore away from B.E.N's grip as Jim laid down under the control panel of the ship, retiring the contraption as he looked to B.E.N and Linnea, "You two go back and help the captain and Doc! If I'm not there in five minutes, leave without me!"

"Jim, I won't leave you!" Linnea cried as Jim sighed in defeat, knowing she wouldn't leave him. Linnea got down to help Jim with the wires the best she could as B.E.N grabbed Jim's leg, " I am NOT leaving my buddy Jimmy!"

Jim gave B.E.N a death glare, causing the robot to grin nervously, "Unless...he looks at me...like that! BYE, JIM!"

B.E.N. dropped Jim's feet and jumped over the side of the ship, on his way to Doppler and Amelia. Meanwhile, the pirates all fled as Silver watched them go. The centroid began to slide open violently, causing the treasure to fall into the massive cracks as Silver clutched at it desperately, "NO! No, no, NOOO! No, no, no...!"

The crew members ran past a deranged Silver as he shouted, "HEY! Come back here, yeh blighters!" The energy beams had almost all slipped now and were violently ripping into the centroid. Silver looked up at Flint's ship, and used his x-ray vision in his cybernetic eye to seek out Jim and Linnea at work on the ship's controls. Silver grinned at this, unaware that a dark figure him watched from behind. The figure clutched his bleeding eye as he stared at the ship, seeing a glimpse of Linnea as she helped Jim, an evil smirk forming on his face as he cocked his own flintlock.

Back with the feline captain and the canine doctor, they were still back-to-back, their hands tied behind their backs, while Meltdown lounged in the opposite end of the longboat. Doppler and Amelia both looked down dejectedly as Doppler suddenly turned his head somewhat toward Amelia, "All my life I've dreamed of an adventure like this...I...I'm just sorry I couldn't have been...more helpful to you."

Doppler put his head back down sadly while Amelia lifted hers slightly, "Don't be daft. . . you've been very helpful! Truly."

"I feel like such a useless weakling with abnormally thin wrists!" Doppler complained as his bonds came loose. He quickly put his hands back behind his back, looking up at Meltdown as he conversed with the pirate, "Excuse me! Brutish pirate!...Yes, you. I have a question! Is it that your body is too massive for your teeny-tiny head, or is it that your head is too teeny-tiny for your big, fat body?!"

Meltdown pulled Doppler up by the collar of his shirt and formed a fist threateningly as he shouted, "I pummel you GOOD!"

"Yes, I'm sure you will! But before you do, I have one more question," Doppler stuttered before pulling out a gun behind his back, "Is this yours?"

Back inside the portal, Jim was still working on the ship until it suddenly lit up. Jim stood again, going to the helm as the ship rose and Jim took the wheel, "Yes! Morph, Linny, we are so outta here!"

Morph made noises of happy laughter, but stopped suddenly as Silver climbed over the side of the ship, remarking, "Ahh, Jimbo! Aren't yeh the Seventh Wonder of the Universe?"

Jim stared in horror at Silver as the cyborg began to walk towards him and Linnea. Linnea cocked her gun while Jim pulled a sword out, holding it defensively in front of him as he snarled, "Get - BACK! Don't come a step closer or else-"

All of a sudden, Reginald leapt from the roof of the ship and knocked Jim and Linnea to the ground, cocking his gun again as he sneered, "Or else what, kitchen boy?" Jim struggled to get off the ground as the gun was placed to his head at point-blank range, with Reginald on the other end, "Now, it's time for you to pay for your crimes against my society and me...Time to die an awful death alone."

Before the trigger could be pulled, Linnea rose from the floor and stood in between Jim and the gun as she proclaimed, "You wanna shoot him? It'll be over my dead body...Reginald, if you think this will make you a man, shoot me. You have every right to because I disobeyed you and the society...But, once you pull that trigger, you'll be my enemy and I'll kill you."

Reginald motioned for Linnea to move with his gun as he huffed, "Step aside, Linnea. I don't want to have to shoot you...Out of the way!"

"NO! If you want him, go through me to claim him." Reginald cocked the gun as he got ready to shoot Linnea, but another gun was placed to his head as Silver glared, "Leave them alone. They're all mine...Drop the gun on the count of five, or I'll blow your brains out! I suggest you get busy. One...Two...Three...Four...F-"

"Fine! You win...I'll drop it." Reginald cried as he raised his hands and slowly dropped the gun, causing Silver to lower his own weapon. Linnea smiled with a smirk as she remarked, "See, that wasn't so hard! Now, let Jim and I go free."

Reginald's expression turned to rage as he picked up the gun again and aimed at Linnea, "On second thought, I'll kill you both, traitors!" Silver lunged at Reginald as he grabbed the weapon, the two men struggling for control of the flintlock until a bang was heard among the sound of exploding planet. Linnea gasped as she saw Silver clutch his real shoulder and collapse to the floor. Reginald grabbed Linnea by her hair with a struggle as he shoved her out of the way before he pointed the gun at Jim again, "So, Jim, how does it feel to be killed by a siren? Hmm?...Happy as a clam, right?...Well, do me the favor of saying hello to Linnea's mother and Sebastian for me."

"How do you know about them?" Linnea questioned as she slowly struggled to get up. Reginald smirked at his fiancé as he explained, "You see, my dear, I wanted you from the very beginning...so to have you as mine, I had to get rid of what was most important to you. Some people just can't hold their tongues...or their arsenic."

"You poisoned my mom and Sebastian?! All this time I believed I killed my mother, when it was YOU all along!"

"Very good, Sherlock. I had no choice."

"Why did you do it?"

"I wanted you and your powers of healing and empathy. I could've used you to rule all of the sirens forever, but you will never agree until all that you love is gone...However, to make you truly mine, I must kill your lover...Looks like I get my treasure after all...James Hawkins of Montressor, prepare to say goodbye...forever." A gunshot was heard as Jim closed his eyes...but after a moment, Jim opened his eyes and found himself to be alive as he looked up at Reginald. Reginald looked pained by something as he felt his stomach, lifted his hand, and revealed fresh blood from the wound. Reginald turned around and saw a vengeful Linnea, clutching the last, loaded pistol at her arsenal as she hissed, "That was for killing my mom and Sebastian."

Another gunshot sounded as Reginakd fell to his knees in pain. "That was for shooting Silver and hurting me and Jim." Linnea neared closer to Reginald and placed the gun right on his forehead as she whispered, "And this is for you...So, Reginald, how does it feel to be killed by a siren? Happy as a clam?" The last gunshot before Reginald fell to the floor, blood running down his forehead as Linnea stared at him murderously.

Jim and Silver looked on before an energy beam his the side of the ship, knocking the three sailors off. Silver landed on a metal platform that jutted up, and Jim slid down alongside Linnea, hitting a wall off of the platform. Between Silver and the teens was a deep crevasse, in which the molten core of the planet was contained. Jim hung onto a protruding piece of metal on the wall barely as Linnea grabbed onto Jim, hanging onto his waist for dear life. Morph squeaked in horror as Silver looked at the ship, seeing that it was heading into the energy beam and being destroyed.

"Oh, no ya DON'T!" Silver shouted as he reached for the ship and pulled with all his strength, getting it out of the energy beam. He grinned, but Morph flew up next to him, gibbering and pointing behind Silver. Silver turned to look as he used his cybernetic eye to see Jim and Linnea, struggling to hang on as they fell toward the core.

Silver looked worried as he shouted, "Jimbo! Linnea!" As Silver began to let go, he stopped himself as he looked back at the ship. It was obvious that if he let go of it, it would drift back into the energy beam and be destroyed. Silver looked back at the teens, turned his cybernetic arm into the vice clamp, and grabbed onto the side of the ship with it. The arm telescoped somewhat, and Silver walked a bit closer to Jim and Linnea. He reached out to them across the chasm with his human hand, "Reach for me, now! Reach!"

Jim did his best to reach for Silver, but he couldn't hold his hand out for long without falling or putting Linnea in harm's way. Jim shook his head as he cried, "I can't!" The ledge that Jim was holding onto suddenly aligned with the wall, leaving Jim without a handhold. He shouts as he and Linnea slid down the wall and managed to grab another ledge. However, they were too far away from Silver to reach without him letting go of the ship. Silver looks at the teens, then back at the ship, torn. He glanced from one to the other, debating between which one he should save.

Silver struggled as he made his decision, "Wh- but- I...Ohhh! Blast me for a FOOL!" Silver let go of the ship and ran to the edge of the platform. Just as he reached the edge, Jim's handhold disappeared again. Jim fell for a moment with Linnea in his arms, but they were caught in midair by Silver's human hand. They dangled for a moment until Silver swung them up onto the platform with him. The trio watched as the ship drifted into the energy beam and exploded violently, a few golden coins showering out. Even the portal prepared to explode as Jim, Silver, and Linnea leapt through it, back onto the surface of Treasure Planet.

Jim looked at Silver as he exclaimed, "Silver! You gave up the-"

"It's a lifelong obsession, Jim- I'll get over it!" Silver shrugged as the Legacy flew up, Amelia with her arm in a sling, Doppler at the helm, and Linnea's family bruised from Reginald's escape to kill Jim. Miraculously, everyone was alive...for now. B.E.N. waved to Jim from the controls, "Aloha, Jimmy!...Hurry, people! We've got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds 'til planet destruction!"

Amelia watched Doppler at the helm as she instructed, "Alright, you're doing fine, Doctor! Now, ease 'er over, gently, GENTLY!" Doppler got a look of concentration on his face as he attempted to fly the Legacy over to Jim, Linnea, and Silver. It banged against the side of the cliff slightly as the doctor and captain winced. Down in the galley, the pirates had all been captured and tied up. As the ship rocked, however, they look worried as Onus shouted, "We were better off on exploding planet!"

The trio on the ground quickly climbed onto the Legacy as Amelia got up and began to walk to Silver and the teens. She called out to B.E.N as she ordered, "Take us out of here, Metal Man!"

"Aye, Captain!" Silver spotted Amelia on the bridge as he took off his hat and grinned up at her, "Cap'n! Yeh dropped from the heavens in the nick o'-"

"Save your clap-trap for the judge, Silver!"

"A-heh-heh. . . a-heh." All of a sudden, debris crashed into one of the masts, knocking down one of the main sails. Shrapnel rains on to the deck as everyone ducked, and then looked up again. B.E.N. looks at the controls as he shouted, "Pistons failed to mobilize, Captain! Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity!"

Doppler looked up, shocked as he stated, "Thirty percent?! That means we'll-We'll never clear the planet's explosion in time!"

On the deck, Jim looked at some of the debris and thought as quickly as he could. He looked at a smoldering cylinder, then at a long piece of metal that was knocked down earlier. He got an idea as he looked up, "We gotta turn around!"

Amelia was stunned as she exclaimed, "What?!"

"There's a portal back there! It can get us out of here!"

Doppler struggled with the helm as he turned to Jim, "Pardon me, Jim, but, doesn't that portal open onto a RAGING INFERNO?!"

"Yes! But I'm gonna change that! I'm gonna open a different door!"

"Captain, really, I-I just don't see how this could possibly-"

Silver leaned down next to Jim and Linnea as he commanded, "Listen to th' boy!" Meanwhile, B.E.N typed so rapidly that his hand was just a blur at his navigational system as he warned, "One minute twenty-nine seconds 'til planet destruction!"

Silver looked down at Jim as he asked, concerned, "Whatta yeh need, Jim?"

Jim looked at the long piece of metal and the cylinder as he explained, "Just. . . just some way t' attach this!"

"Alright. . . stand back, stand back, now!" Silver quickly changed his cybernetic arm into a blowtorch and welded the two pieces of metal together as everyone watched. Silver finished and helped Jim and Linnea lift up the now-attached cylinder and long piece of metal.

"There yeh go!" Silver cheered as Morph mimicked, "There yeh go!"

Jim balanced up on the piece of metal and looks back at Silver as he commanded, "Okay, now, no matter what happens, keep the ship heading straight for that portal!"

"Fifty-eight seconds!" B.E.N warned again as everyone looked at one another, scared yet determined to get out of this alive. Jim grabbed Linnea abd held her close to his waist as he suddenly kicked the cylinder, starting it with his foot. It sparked and began spinning rapidly as the teens started off. Already, pieces of the planet were breaking off, and Jim swerves around them. Silver looked towards Amelia and Doppler as he bellowed, "Well you 'eard 'im! Get this blasted heap turned 'round!"

"Doctor, head us back for the portal." Amelia nodded as Doppler turned the helm, "Aye, Captain..."

Jim, meanwhile, had started back towards the portal. He worked to dodge the breaking metal pieces of the planet, which were now coming apart much more quickly. Large chunks had jutted out of the surface and the inner workings, overheating dangerously. The cylinder stalled once and Jim started it up again with his heel. He continued on quickly as Amelia and Doppler argued on the ship, "Turn to the right, THE RIGHT-"

"I know! I know! Will you just let me DRIVE?!"

B.E.N. became even more panicked as he spazzed out, "TWENTY-FIVE SECONDS!"

Now, the moment of truth came upon the teens as Jim flew over a particularly large chasm, the size of a small canyon. The cylinder suddenly stalled out again, and the two teenaged lovers began to fall toward the molten workings of the planet. He attempted to start the cylinder up again with his heel, but this time it wouldn't work as Jim screamed, "No, NO!"

Jim kicked again with his heel, working furiously to start up the cylinder again. He looks around, panicked, before he swung the makeshift solar surfer around so that the end of the cylinder was scraping against the metal 'canyon' wall. Back on the Legacy, Silver look over the side for the teens, "C'mon, lad and lassie..."

"SEVENTEEN SECONDS!" B.E.N panicked again as Morph hid in a coil of rope on the Legacy.

Back with Jim and Linnea, they still scraped the cylinder against the metal as Jim clenched his teeth and pushed the solar surfer. But, it continued to fall closer and closer to the center of the planet...until the cylinder sparked and ignited once more. Jim glared upward, and headed up the canyon wall. He dodged more pieces of the planet, which was now barely holding together as B.E.N counted down, "Seven...six...five..."

Jim and Linnea caught up to the Legacy, passing it slightly as B.E.N continued, "Four...THREE...TWO-" Doppler clenched his teeth, working to keep the Legacy flying straight. Jim suddenly reached down blindly towards the green sphere back at the portal. His finger touched the small crescent-shaped symbol before a triangular portal opened up around the Legacy as it flew through. The massive explosion of the planet went behind it, pushing it through the portal with an extra burst of speed. Jim and Linnea flew in front of the ship, whooping in victory, "HAH! YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAH! HEEAHYAAEHHHHAHHH!"

The teens flew up past Silver, who was watching them with an overjoyed and astonished look on his face, "Yeh did it, Jimmy!" Morph turned into a miniature flashing display of fireworks and confetti for Jim as the teen high-fived Silver and flew past. Silver laughed before cheering, "Didn't I say th' lad had greatness in 'im?!"

Everyone on deck continues to cheer happily as Doppler and Amelia hugged, both of them with their eyes shut and cheek-to-cheek. They both suddenly opened their eyes and stared at one another in shock before smiling. Jim and Linnea flew back down to the deck of the Legacy, letting the slapdash solar surfer fall away. He stood on the deck, reveling in his victory as Amelia abd Doppler walk up, both smiling at the teens, "Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective! I'd be proud to recommend you both to the interstellar academy. They could use true sailors like you!"

Linnea grinned before refusing politely, "I appreciate your offer, Ms. Amelia, but I think I would rather work with Sarah. She needs me with her now that the old inn's gone...I will consider the academy though, but I think Jim deserves it the most. He was the true heart and brains of the group." Jim grinned at HIS Linnea and Doppler leaned down next to him, grinning, "Just wait until your mother hears about THIS! 'Course we may downplay the life-threatening parts..."

Jim laughed a little as he hugged Linnea before B.E.N. walks up to the two lovebirds, "Jimmy, Linnea, that was...UNFORGETTABLE! I know you don't like touching, but...get

ready for a hug, Big Guy, 'cause I gotta hug ya both!" B.E.N. laughed as he hugged the teens, and Jim tolerated the hug with a small smile. Suddenly, Jim grabbed B.E.N as he swung the robot around and exclaimed, "C'mere!"

"Woah!...Heeeyyyyy, you hugged me BACK... Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry! WAAAGHHH! Does anyone have a tissue?" B.E.N started to sob melodramatically as Jim sighed and rolled his eyes. However, when he looked up, he exchanged confused glances with Linnea as they noticed Silver was gone.

Silver was down near the longboats as Morph burbled at the cyborg. Silver sighed before replying, "Morphy, we gotta make tracks!"

"You never quit, do you?" Jim smirked as Linnea stood beside him. Silver stood up straight quickly as he stuttered, "Ahhh, Jimbo! Ha-haah...I was, eh, merely checkin' t' make sure our last longboat was...safe 'n secure!" Silver knelt down and hastily tied the longboat down with a loose knot as Jim looked at his work incredulously, "Hmm...well...That should hold it."

Jim retied the knot as Silver grinned, "Heh...I taught yeh too well..." Silver stood up and stared at the teens before Linnea moved the cyborg's coat aside, her hand glowing blue once again as she relieved him of some pain. Silver stared down in shock while Jim just smiled at Linnea. Linnea continued the process until she stood beside Jim again and explained, "That was for saving our lives from Reginald. You got shot by him, so I wanted to help heal your wound. Now, we're even."

"Lassie, how did you do that? The only one with powers such as this are...sirens..." Silver exclaimed as he looked at Linnea, the girl revealing her necklace to show off her true identity. Silver gasped before he asked, "You're a siren, and you hid your identity for so long? Why?"

"Reginald was after me, so I had to masquerade as a mortal to escape him and his abusive anger towards me. Please forgive me for lying..."

Silver put a gentle hand on Linnea's shoulder as he smiled, "Don't be sorry. You mean more to this group than you'll ever know. I'm just surprised that you were able to keep the secret for so long...Ahem! Now, if yeh don't mind, we just as soon avoid imprisonin' little Morphy, here; he's a-he-he's a free spirit! Bein' in a cage... it'd break his heart." He clutched the blob in his hand before letting Morph go, causing the creature to nuzzle against Silver's neck.

Silver opened the hatch for the longboats as he suggested, "What say yeh ship out with us, you two?"

"Ship out with us!" Morph nodded as Silver continued, "

"You, Linnea, an' me! Hawkins, Linnea, an' Silver! Full of ourselves, and no ties t' anyone!"

Jim smiled at the two before he answered, "Y'know...when I got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second...but, uh...I met this old cyborg and he taught me that I could chart my own course...That's what I'm gonna do...with my lover, Linnea, by my side."

"An' whatta yeh see, off that bow o' yers?"

"...A future."

"Well, lookit yeh! Glowin' like a solar fire!...Yer somethin' special, Jim, as are yeh, Linnea lassie! Yer gonna rattle th' stars, you are!" Silver suddenly choked on his tears as he rubbed his eyes, "Eh, er, got a bit o' grease in this cyborg eye o' mine."

All three sailors wiped silent tears from their eyes before Morph looked at Jim and suddenly began sobbing. He turned into a puddle of water as Jim caught the 'puddle' in his hands, "Ohh, hey, Morph, we'll see ya 'round, okay?"

"S-see ya 'round..." Morph sniffled before flying back to Silver. Silver petted the blob before he suddenly had an idea, "Morphy, I got a job for yeh! I want these two to remember me, so I need yeh t' keep an eye on them...Will yeh do me that f-favor?"

Morph nodded and chirped happily before flying over to the teens. Silver wiped at his eyes, smiling broadly, but the tears threatened to fall down his face. Jim looked up at Silver, smiling disbelievingly as he and Linnea patted Morph. As the longboat started to lower into space, Silver called out to the teens as he pulled several jewels from his coat pocket, "Oh, and one more thing!...Tha's for yer dear mother... t' rebuild that inn o' hers!"

Jim smiled slightly as Linnea gasped, "Silver, wait! Before you leave, I want to give you something." She dropped a handful of treasure from her trench coat into the cyborg's hand as she explained, "I saved this before the explosion when I escaped Reginald. I want you to have this and one more thing." Linnea pulled out her switchblade and cut off a long lock of her hair before cutting off a bottom section of Jim's shirt. She braided the hair and shirt together before wetting her leg with a canteen of water on her belt. As carefully as possible, she removed a siren scale from her leg, wincing as she did so, before she attached the scale to the hair and cloth. She grabbed a small, glass bottle with a wooden cork from a pouch in her belt and placed the braided item inside it before grabbing some rope from her backpack (the one Sarah gave her). She made a necklace out of the bottle and placed it around Silver's neck before she kissed his cheek, "Now, a piece of us will always be with you as long as this is around your neck."

Silver smiled at Linnea before he hugged the teens and Morph, "Thanks, lassie. Now, you take care of yerself and Jim, okay?"

Jim let go of the embrace and grinned at Silver, wrapping an arm around Linnea's waist as he chuckled, "Stay outta trouble, y'old scalawag."

"Why, Jimbo, lad!...When've I ever done otherwise?" Jim chuckled slightly as he watched Silver take the tiller of the longboat and fly off, still laughing. Jim and Linnea looked on as they embraced tightly, kissing each other with great passion and love beyond belief.

After a long journey, the group arrived to the crowded spaceport Crescentia, the Legacy is in port. Down at the docks, Sarah was winding her way through the crowd, obviously looking for Jim, Linnea, and Doppler. She had just heard of their arrival and wanted to bring them back home. She pushed past one or two aliens, who glanced at her, but they quickly continued on their way. She looked behind her, then suddenly looked up again. Jim came towards her and wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. She looked shocked, but she hugged him back before she embraced Linnea tightly. Linnea held onto her until Morph flew next to Sarah, changing into a miniature version of her as he curtsied politely. Sarah smiled at the blob as he turned back into himself and licked her affectionately. Jim grinned at both of them before he hugged Linnea and kissed her passionately again.

Months later, Sarah, Amelia, Morph, and a crowd of some Benbow residents stood in front of a door. A large red ribbon was in front of them as the ribbon was cut, and a good deal of cheering began. The Benbow Inn was rebuilt once again, using the jewels Jim and Linnea brought back with them. This version was much larger than the previous one. The cheering continued, and a camera flashed as Doppler walked up to Sarah and Amelia with the camera. Suddenly, B.E.N came out of the kitchen wearing a chef's hat, using several mechanical arms to hold plates full of cake. He passed them out to the people in the room while Sarah took one and smiled to him. B.E.N. then headed over to a grinning Doppler and Amelia. They smiled at The robot before they looked down at three female infant 'kittens' wrapped up in pink blankets in Doppler's arms and a single puppy wrapped in blue in Amelia's. Amelia bent down as she kissed the puppy on the forehead. He yawned sleepily and blinked awake, smiling.

All of a sudden, the front door bursted open and two constables, police officers, wheeled in. Sarah looked worried, but both of them rolled to the side, revealing an older Jim and his recently new fiancé, Linnea. The two had just gotten engaged days ago when Jim asked the question after a long day of helping to rebuild the inn with Sarah, Linnea and the gang. He wanted to marry her since day 1, so he had to ask her before he made her his. When the happy couple entered the room, Jim's hair was cut, his earring was gone, and he was wearing a white uniform; Linnea had her hair down and curled, was wearing black ballet slippers, a long-sleeved, knee-length, white dress with a hood, and was more beautiful than ever. Jim looked down at himself, grabbed Linnea's hand with a smile, and then they both smiled up at Sarah, whose look changed from one of shock to one of joy. She looked around happily as the crowd cheered for Linnea and Jim. Morph flipped in the air, turning into a medal with shooting stars on it as he pinned himself to Jim's chest.

Suddenly, shanty-music started up as Mrs. Dunwoodie used her multiple arms to play

several different alien-looking instruments. The crowd parted, leaving an aisle in the center of the room. Many clapped, while those forming the aisle waved lilies in the air in rhythm to the music, and Jim took the arms of Sarah and Linnea. All three danced down the aisle as Doppler came up with Amelia, spinning her around. The feline dropped gracefully as her canine husband caught her, both of them smiling.

While the adults danced, the infants, all in a bassinet together played together. The kittens (a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead) looked at one another, and the redhead pulled the puppy's ear. He began crying, so Morph changed into a rattle. The puppy grinned and reached up for it. The redheaded kitten also did the same thing, but she fell forward while the puppy grabbed the rattle, shaking it happily.

The crowd continued to clap as many Benbonians and other aliens danced together, generally enjoying themselves. B.E.N. began to do a very professional (and literal) version of 'The Robot' as his girlfriend, Jess whistled and cheered, "YEAH BABY!

The crowd around him applauded the robot for his dancing while Jim and Linnea sat off to the side, clapping along to the music with the rest with smiles on their faces. Mrs. Dunwoodie's music faded into a new song with guitar as Jim looked out the window into the sky, where he saw a deep, blue cloud. The cloud shifted somewhat, and Silver's face was on it. A star blinked where Silver's cybernetic eye was usually to be found. The memory of Silver lived on as Jim smiled at the window before Linnea rested her head on Jim's shoulder and looked out the window too. She smiled too as she grasped Jim's hand and sighed happily, "Well, Jim, we met on a beach, battled mutinous pirates, found some hidden treasure, and rebuilt the inn. What're we gonna do now?"

Jim looked at his sweet Linnea as he smiled at her, stroking her cheek as he answered, "That's for us to decide. As Silver always said, 'Yeh gotta chart yer own course!'...That's what I'm gonna do, but I won't do it alone...You're my fiancé now and I love you so much. As long as I have my beautiful wife and siren by my side, we can do anything together."

"Forever until the sea of time tear us apart..." Linnea grinned before kissing her husband as the music played long into the night. The two lovers and sailors were going to be together for as long as possible, and they would travel the different roads of life together. Life was a journey in itself, and the two would journey through life as friends, partners, comrades, and lovers together. This was the great journey of mermaid and man, but this was only the beginning of their life as husband and wife...

**Please Review! Also, the story's not over. There will be more Jinnea moments in the next few chapters, I promise. I loved your comments and thanks for your time and consideration. They really meant a lot to me. Luvs you all!**


	11. Union of Land & Sea-The Wedding

Chapter 11: Union of Land & Sea-The Wedding

Jim and Linnea had both turned eighteen after the inn was rebuilt, and they had gotten engaged on the day of the grand opening. After Jim had gotten enrolled in the interstellar academy, he took Linnea to the beach where they first met as he proposed to her. He gave her a golden, custom-made, engagement ring using one of the diamonds from the jewels that Silver and Linnea had salvaged from Treasure Planet. Linnea immediately said 'yes' to Jim and they kissed before heading back to the rebuilt inn for the grand opening party.

Now, the two were getting married shortly after the inn's reopening. While Jim spent time at the academy and came home tired yet happy to see his family everyday, Linnea planned for the wedding with the help of Sarah and Amelia. Amelia helped by making many calls to her old friends at the academy, friends who had great skills other than sailing; with these skills, Amelia was able to get comfortable chairs and an arbor for the actual 'walk-down-the-aisle' wedding, a simple wedding cake, and with the help of Linnea's foster family, they were able to get flowers and jewels for the wedding. Sarah booked the wedding reception at the inn and helped with the honeymoon. Linnea even helped in her own way by making all the decorations and even making her own wedding dress based off of the steampunk dress style that people wore in Montressor. The planning was very drawn out and time-consuming, but it would be worth it when the big day came...

The night before the wedding, Sarah made Jim and Linnea sleep in separate rooms so 'the bride and groom wouldn't see each other before the wedding.' Although the couple didn't agree with this at first, they were convinced by Doppler and Amelia, who did the same thing when they married before the inn's reopening, so the young adults reluctantly agreed. Now, the big day had arrived at last and the young adults were ready to unite both the sirens of the sea and the humans of the land in the act of marriage. Sarah and Amelia woke Linnea up as the brunette mother handed the girl a tray full of food that consisted of bacon, eggs, and a glass of milk. Linnea ate her breakfast happily, sharing with Sarah and Amelia before the siren revealed her dress to her comrade and new mother-in-law.

Linnea got closer to a mannequin hidden by a dark, dressing screen as she admitted, "Now, I just learned how to use a sewing machine from you two, even though I knew the basics from Ms. Merina back home. I love the style of dress that the people of Montressor have, so I'm pleased to present my wedding dress to you..." Linnea opened the screen, revealing the beautiful white dress as she beamed, "Ta da!"

Sarah and Amelia gasped in surprise as they looked at the beautiful dress, surprised at the craftsmanship of the white, steampunk dress. The dress was white and sleeveless because of a corset attached to a skirt, and it had a cocktail length skirt that came 4 inches above Linnea's knees, attaching itself to the corset. To complete her look, Linnea wore white lace, fingerless glovelettes, a white plumeria flower headpiece with an attached veil, made out of diamonds and pearls, a leather strap on her leg with her switchblade and loaded gun attached, and brown, knee length boots.

This surprised the two mothers as they stared at Linnea in awe. Sarah was the first to speak as she gasped, "Wow! Linnea, you did a good job."

"I may be a tomboy at heart, but I must say that I wouldn't mind wearing a dress once in a while if you made them, my dear. The craftsmanship is so radiant, I'm speechless."

Linnea smiled before she replied, "I'm glad you like it...I kinda guessed that you'd like it, so I made some bridesmaid dresses for you, using the same style and technique. Here they are!" Linnea revealed two more mannequins with steampunk dresses on them. The bridesmaid outfits consisted of light blue dresses with a front slit, revealing a thin, white dress attached to the blue dress (like Giselle's dress from Enchanted). To complete the look, the adults were to wear matching, miniature blue top hats with a single plumeria flower attached and brown, knee-length boots to match Linnea. The adults hugged Linnea and thanked her for making the dresses before they all changed into their outfits.

Linnea, Amelia, and Sarah changed into their dresses before doing their hair and makeup. Linnea put her hair into a low bun (like Bella from Twilight) with a side braid before attaching her headpiece and veil to the bun. Amelia wore her hair down but curled it before putting the top hat on while Sarah put her hair into a high ponytail before putting her top hat on. The girls looked at each other in the mirror before they giggled and prepared to go down to the beach where Jim met Linnea. The beach was a sacred place for the engaged couple, so they wanted to be married in the place where they first met. When the coast was clear, the three girls walked to the beach as Jess, B.E.N's girlfriend, alerted the groom and his men. Surprisingly, Silver attended the wedding as the best man, because Jim didn't have one, when heard of the wedding on his travels, so he decided to show up as a surprise.

Everyone prepared for the walk down the aisle as the music began to play, causing the guests to rise from their seats; Linnea's family members were among the guests in the crowd. As the music started, Amelia locked arms with Doppler while Sarah locked arms with Morph after he turned into a handsome man with brown hair and blue eyes. Since the bride had no father to walk her down the aisle, Silver, the best man, stepped in to do so since he viewed Linnea as a daughter. The bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down the aisle as Jim stood at the alter with the pastor of the local church, looking for his beautiful Linnea as she gracefully walked down the aisle with Silver. The siren looked more beautiful than ever as the cyborg smiled sheepishly, holding Linnea's arm tightly before they reached the alter. Linnea kissed Silver's cheek before she took Jim's hand and smiled as he smiled back, enchanted by her beauty.

The pastor gestured for the guests to sit before he announced, "Guests to this beach, welcome to this glorious day as we unite this man and this siren in an act of harmony and marriage. Now, as you know, it is traditional for the bride and groom to recite their vows before the real ceremony begins...Linnea, you go first."

"Thank you, Pastor...Jim Hawkins, I was found on this very beach a year ago by you, and you were a rebellious kitchen boy who loved adventure and machinery when I met you. You saved my life and treated me like family when I had nothing to go back to, so I'm grateful to you...We have had many journeys and found many treasures, but no journey is too much for us because we chart our own course in life. I want to take the helm of my life's adventure and go on the long journey...with you by my side. I love you so much, Jim, and I want to be your wife, your partner, and your friend...if you'll have me as yours forever...Your turn."

"Thank you for those wonderful words of love...Jim."

Jim nodded before he answered, "Thank you, Pastor...Linnea, your accusation was filled with truth when you said I was a delinquent, literally...We also did have many journeys and found lots of treasure, but no treasure is better than you. You've always been the greatest treasure of my adventures, and I only wish to love and protect you in the way you deserve...I too wanna take the helm and chart my own course with you, if you'll be mine...I think by now, you know I love you...Your turn, Pastor."

Linnea smiled up at Jim as he finished his speech, causing the pastor to begin the true ceremony, "Thank you for your words, you two...Now, I can begin the ceremony. In Montressor, it is also tradition for the bride and groom to exchange their wedding bands and repeat after me...As always, ladies first...Linnea, do you take James Pleiades Hawkins as your lawful, wedded husband? In sickness or in health, in life or death, and for better or for worse for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do..." Linnea grinned as she mouthed 'I love you' to Jim. Jim smiled back as he heard the pastor, "James Hawkins, do you take Linnea as your lawful, wedded wife? In sickness or in health, in life or death, and for better or for worse for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do, Pastor...I always have."

"Then, by the power vested in me, by me...I now present to you today Mr. James and Mrs. Linnea Hawkins...James Hawkins, you may now kiss your bride." Jim smirked at his new wife before he flipped her around and leaned downwards with her, kissing her passionately as she threaded her fingers in his brown hair. The crowd went wild with cheers of joy before Jim and Linnea walked back to the inn for the reception. The crowd brought the wooden chairs back to the inn with them as they placed them at long, wooden tables covered in plumeria flowers and white table cloths.

The guests sat down and ate a fresh, warm meal made by Silver and Linnea the night before before they indulged in the wedding cake. After eating, the guests danced to the beautiful acoustic music of Mrs. Dunwoodie and the harmonizing vocals of Linnea and her foster family. After Linnea sang a special song dedicated to Jim, the lullaby she sang after Arrow's death, she joined Silver in a traditional 'father-daughter' dance before dancing with Jim again while Sarah and Silver danced together. The reception lasted far into the night until Jim and Linnea changed out of their wedding clothes and into some more comfortable clothing, hopping onto a solar surfer of Jim's; the two had their bags packed for a special, honeymoon vacation booked by Amelia to a special location. Jim and Linnea both knew where the location was because of a map that Amelia gave them, but they had never been to the area before. With wishes of good will and good fortune for the newlywed couple, Jim and Linnea left for their planned honeymoon, the start to their journey of marriage together. The couple kissed on the surfer before Jim kick-started it and flew off with Linnea in his arms as they waved to their guests on the ground below. The honeymoon would change their lives and the lives of their friends and family forever...

*Please Review!*


	12. Honeymoon Passion & Romance

Chapter 12: Honeymoon Passion & Romance

**Author's Note: Warning! A graphic lemon awaits those daring readers who want to learn of the passionate romance between the couple of Jinnea. If you cannot handle such a fantastic scene, please skip to the next chapter, but if you can, read at your own risk...if you dare. Please review and enjoy! :)**

After a long journey on the solar surfer, Jim and Linnea finally arrived at their destination. They looked at the map to make sure they were in the right place before Jim picked Linnea up bridal style, kissing her passionately as he walked her through the door. Jim set Linnea down before he went back outside to get their bags and the solar surfer while the siren explored the beach house. The simple cottage had simple furniture and blue palettes of color to make the siren feel relaxed; another thing about this house was that it was isolated from the nearest city and was surrounded by beautiful beaches with white sand and crystal blue water. Jim was able to get the bags inside the house and inside his and Linnea's shared bedroom before he closed the front door behind him. Linnea stared out at the water as Jim asked, "Like it?"

"I love it! Did Amelia book this place?"

"Yeah, she called a friend from the academy to get us a great deal. I've truly never been here before but I think we'll enjoy ourselves."

"How long are we staying here?"

"A week...We'll make a relaxing adventure out of it. What do you say?"

"I say...Let's do it, my love." Linnea grinned as she kissed her Jim. The kiss was passionate and full of love as the two embraced before they pulled away for air. Jim looked towards the water as he suggested, "It seems like you miss the sea...Tell you what: Let's go for a swim."

"...Okay." Linnea replied as Jim kissed her forehead and opened the curtained, French doors that lead to the beach. Jim took off his shirt, revealing abs typical of an eighteen-year old who worked out, as he neared the water. Linnea took off the trousers and shirt that she was wearing until she was completely bare. Now in her new look, Linnea went inside in the cool night as she swan close to Jim, a blue glow appearing in the water as her her tail appeared, just like when they first met. Jim looked down at his true love and smiled upon seeing her tail before he kissed her passionately on the lips. Linnea threaded her fingers in Jim's soft locks as she kissed him back. The two kissed before they swam around in the water, having fun as the beautiful night dragged on perfectly.

After a short swim, Linnea and Jim came back inside the cottage to dry off before Linnea went into the bathroom to dry off her hair and change. Jim sat on the bed with a towel, wiping his hair dry as he waited for Linnea to come out of the bathroom. When she finally came out, she had changed into baby blue, lace lingerie panties and a matching bra that had two, attached curtains of transparent cloth creating a slit in the front to reveal her stomach. The whole sight made Jim go hard in between his legs as Linnea came closer to him, kissing him passionately as she sat in his lap on the edge of the bed.

The two kissed before Jim replied, "Linny, I know that a honeymoon is when the couple expresses their most intimate passions to each other, and I know that we are both inexperienced...I must ask you something before we continue: Are you ready for this? We could wait before-"

Linnea placed a gentle finger on Jim's lips to silence him as she soothed, "Shh, Jim...I'll be fine because I have you. I love you and I trust that you won't hurt me...I know this process hurts, but I know you won't hurt me. Please, let's just journey down this path together..." Jim looked up at Linnea with a look of fear and love as he thought about the process of 'love-making.' He had dreamed of having sex with her ever since he first saw her and met her, but he wouldn't do it if she didn't consent to it. He had heard tales about women getting hurt during this delicate process, but he also feared he'd hurt Linnea just like Reginald did when the make siren tried to rape her years ago.

However, she WAS consenting to it, and she wanted to do this journey with him. With a smile of care and a kiss on Linnea's forehead, Jim stroked her soft cheeks before he kissed her on the lips again. The two moaned during this kiss as they squirmed in each other's arms. Linnea ran her hands up and down Jim until she cupped the bulge in his pants with an innocent smirk, causing Jim to gasp in pleasure as he stared down at Linnea. He smirked back at her before he flipped her over, laying her down on the pillows gently while she toyed with the ribbon on her bra. After a few moments, the ribbon was undone as Jim helped to peal the bra away, causing Linnea to cover up her large breasts with her hands as she blushed furiously. Linnea looked down before looking up at Jim as he kissed her hands, removing them from her breasts as they bounced in front of his face; the siren smiled as she blushed again, "I hope I'm beautiful enough for you..."

Jim nuzzled Linnea's trembling hands as he spoke in between kisses, "Don't hide yourself away from me and don't worry: You are beautiful and you always will be. You've always been beautiful, Linny...My love...my treasure...my beautiful, blue siren of the sea..." Linnea dropped her hands and placed them at her sides as Jim massaged Linnea's bosom, causing the brunette to moan in pure pleasure. Jim continued to massage Linnea's breasts like two balls of bread dough until he noticed her nipples becoming erect and took one into his mouth.

"Ohh!" Linnea moaned as she grabbed Jim's hair, massaging his scalp and twirling the soft strands as he sucked on her left breast while massaging and pinching the nipple of the right. Linnea moaned in pure pleasure as Jim sucked, licked, and played with her left breast, before repeating the same process to the other breast. The scent of vanilla and lavender was on Linnea's skin and the softness made Jim become aroused as he kissed her bosom passionately. Linnea continued to moan as she pulled on Jim's hair gently, pushing him down further into her bosom until he lowered himself to her panties. As he removed them, Linnea pleaded, "May I pleasure you before you pleasure me? Please?"

Jim looked up at Linnea, contemplating her suggestion before he smiled, stroked her cheek, and laid down on the bed. Linnea smirked before she removed Jim's pants, releasing his aching cock from its restraint as it leaked with precum. Linnea smiled at Jim before she blowed on his length, causing Jim to moan as the siren's warm breath hit his delicate tip. Linnea smiled brighter before she took Jim into her mouth, swirling her inexperienced tongue around Jim's cock as he grabbed her hair and bucked his hips near her mouth. Jim moaned and gasped in great pleasure as he rode Linnea's mouth, trying to insert more of his cock into her mouth; even though this slightly gagged Linnea, se continued on as she pleasured Jim to his climax. However, before he could release his seed, Linnea stopped as she explained, "I'd like you inside me when you release your warm seed. However, you tasted good, my little sailor boy."

Jim flipped Linnea over as he removed her panties, revealing a cream-colored slit in between her legs that dripped with clear liquid. Jim used his fingers to push her slit open, revealing reddish-pink blossoms of organs as Jim stared at her hungrily. With a nod of Linnea's head, Jim lowered himself to Linnea's opening as he licked and sucked her juices, causing her to grip his hair again as she moaned louder than before when he pleasured her breasts. "Ohh, Jim! More! MORE!" Linnea thrashed around wildly as Jim sucked her slit, before he found her delicate clit, sucking and pinching the organ as Linnea moaned louder. Linnea could feel warmth and butterflies in her stomach as Jim pleasured her before he inserted his aching cock inside her.

Linnea winced in pain as she bit her lip before Jim asked worriedly, "Linny, are you okay? If not, I can stop."

"...No, keep going. I'll get used to it...Please, take me as yours, Jimmy..." Linnea groaned in both agonizing pain and passionate pleasure as Jim bucked his hips up to hers, causing her inner walks to tighten around his length. Jim and Linnea moaned in pleasure as Jim embraced Linnea in his arms, the two resting their heads on the other's shoulder as they rocked against each other. The two moaned loudly at the top of their lungs for what seemed like hours until their climax began. Both felt a warmth and butterfly feeling in their stomachs as their climax began. Jim finished his climax as he moaned, "OHHH! LINNY!"

Jim released his warm seed into Linnea before toying the girl's clit with his fingers, causing her to literally scream at the top of her lungs as she shouted, "OHH! JIM!" Linnea pulled Jim down to finish out her climax as he trembled against her bosom, causing Linnea to hold him and stroke his hair. After the sudden yet passionate honeymoon sex, Jim pulled out of Linnea and laid down beside her, sweat rolling down his soft skin as he breathed deeply. When the couple had both caught their breath, Linnea snuggled up to Jim as he wrapped his arms and a thin sheet around them both. Jim kissed Linnea's forehead as she kissed his Adam's apple before falling into a deep sleep. Jim threaded his fingers through Linnea's chocolate strands before he closed his eyes and fell asleep, satisfied that he had pleasured Linnea, his wife, and had given her all the love, respect, and passion she deserved. He only hoped that they would share another moment of passion together, another night to pleasure his gem again...

*Please review!*


	13. Of Secrets & Trimesters

Chapter 13: Of Secrets & Trimesters

The week that Jim and Linnea spent together in that beach house went by so fast, yet it was very enjoyable. The couple explored the area surrounding the beach, treating it as an adventure, before they came home, bathed individually, and had a passionate moment in bed. There were three total passionate moments after the first time, but the couple enjoyed the pleasure and love behind the intimacy. They were married now, so they knew that intimacy was coming, however, they knew that parenthood could follow. When the week had ended, the couple packed their belongings, got dressed after a shower together and breakfast, and climbed aboard the solar surfer to return home. Their friends & family were very glad to see them safe and back home, and they even laughed when they heard if the couple's passionate moments, but no one could predict the secrets that were hidden in the Benbow inn that year...

After a long day of working at the inn, Sarah and Linnea closed the dining room at five o'clock sharp to allow their guests to get some rest and so they could make dinner for their friends and family. Jim was in class, so they wouldn't be back for a while. Doppler and Amelia, however, showed up early with their four kids and ordered the doctor's usual kibble dish while Amelia ordered a fish dish; Linnea decided to prepare some baby food for the infants as she cooed them and pinched their chubby cheeks. Morph entertained the children, giving them dinner and a show, while Linnea and Sarah made the rest of the supper. While mother and daughter-in-law cooked dinner, Jim came through the door after knocking and he greeted his friends and family. After dinner was prepared, the group ate in peace, but Linnea abruptly left the table just after eating as she covered her mouth and ran to the nearest bathroom. Jim followed after her and reached the door too late as it closed in front of him.

Jim knocked on the door a couple times, but Linnea wouldn't answer it. After a few more knocks and pleading for Linnea to open the door, Jim heard a sound that was familiar to him. It sounded like someone was ill or vomiting, so Jim feared the worse. Jim burst through the door and held his wife gently as she vomited with short, raspy gasps. Jim shook his head in disbelief as he held Linnea, "Linny, are you all right? What's wrong? Did you eat something that was spoiled?"

Linnea wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she shook her head 'no.' Linnea looked up at Jim as she sat down, "You really didn't need to see that, Jim...However, it could have been raw food, but I'm not sure."

"I think I did need to see that. We promised to love each other in sickness of in health, so I wanna help. I'll let Doppler examine you for food poisoning while he's here, and if Dr. Rogers is staying here, I'll let him examine you too."

"...O-Okay..."

"Come on. Everyone will wonder what happened to us..." Jim smirked as he helped Linnea to her feet, letting her use him as a balance beam to get back to the table. As she sat down groggily, Amelia asked, "Mr. Hawkins, is your wife all right?"

Jim nodded to his former captain as he answered, "She's fine. Just some spoiled food in her stomach, that's all...Doppler, could you check for food poisoning?"

Doppler adjusted his glasses as he nodded, "Yes, I can; I know the symptoms...Jim, lead Linnea to a bed or couch so I can examine her properly." Everyone looked on in worry, even Morph and the babies, as Jim lead Linnea to a nearby couch. Linnea laid herself down on her back gently before Doppler starting touching her belly, asking her questions, "Does it hurt?"

"No."

"Is supper the only thing you had to eat all day?"

"No, I ate breakfast and lunch also."

"Did you wash your hands during dinner preparation and did you cook the meal correctly?"

"Yes and yes...I don't understand, this has never happened to me before. I was fine this morning."

"Hmm...Maybe a bug's gone around in Benbow. Linnea, I think you should get bed rest for at least two days. Take time off from working until this vomiting cycle stops."

"But, I feel fine!"

"Now, now, a little rest can't hurt." Doppler argued before Sarah held Linnea's hands, "Please dear, your health means more to us than you know. I can handle the inn by myself while you rest. I'll take up meals to you and if any trouble occurs, I'll fetch Jim, Doppler, or the doctor."

Linnea sighed before she nodded, "...All right, I'll agree to this, but I'll work my butt off harder once I get better to make up for lost service."

"Agreed..." Sarah smiled before Jim replied, "Doppler, thanks for your help, but do you mind if I get a second opinion from Dr. Rogers?"

"No, I don't mind. Do what you need to do to insure Linnea gets better." Doppler answered the boy while Jim ran upstairs, got Dr. Rogers (the doctor that treated Linnea the first day she & Jim met), and had him look at her. After some careful evaluation, the doctor determined that because of Linnea's symptoms, she had caught a stomach bug and needed to rest for at least two days. With that, everyone thought Linnea would be safe if she rested, but this would not be the end of her 'bug.' Although the girl didn't want to do it, Linnea stayed bed-ridden for two days while Jim and Sarah looked after her. Doppler would occasionally come to check on the siren to see progress, and he determined that she was getting better and could get out of bed very soon. But, in reality, Linnea's sickness took a turn for the worst.

Early that morning on the second day of being bed-ridden, Linnea vomited extremely bad while Sarah came to her aid, holding her hair back as the girl puked. Linnea wiped her mouth again before she asked to see a calendar, but when she looked at the piece of paper, Linnea gasped in shock as she panicked. Sarah didn't understand at first until Linnea revealed a secret, "Sarah, Jim and I left for the honeymoon one week ago, and now, it's been two weeks since the wedding...On land, women have their 'time of the month,' but I'm on land and I'm four days late...Sarah, Jim and I became intimate on the trip."

"Linnea, my dear, what are you saying? What's going on?"

"Sarah, I think I might be pregnant with Jim's child." Linnea got ready to cry tears of fear, because she had never been pregnant before and was terrified, before Sarah comforted the siren, "Okay, calm down, Linnea. It's okay if you are pregnant because I've been there when I had Jim. I know how to help you, so we're gonna go to Dr. Rogers to make sure you're pregnant."

"O-Okay..." Linnea nodded as she & Sarah closed the inn for breakfast by saying they wouldn't open until lunch. This was a family emergency! Sarah and Linnea walked to the doctor's clinic, greeting Dr. Rogers before he did an ultrasound on the siren's flat belly, revealing an infant's shape and a heart beat on the sci-fi monitor. Sarah and Linnea were surprised yet overcome with joy as they looked at the monitor before the doctor confirmed Linnea's pregnancy, as well as the vomiting (also known as morning sickness). He told the siren to return at least every two weeks to make sure she and the baby were healthy, which Linnea promised to do as she left the clinic. Sarah decided that Linnea needed to rest that day, but she told the girl to tell Jim when he got home. Linnea promise she would before she fell asleep on her back, cupping her baby bump as she did so.

Jim arrived home early and greeted Linnea. Sarah allowed Linnea to help out with cooking supper, but Sarah made Linnea sit down before serving the meal. Jim kissed Linnea on the lips before the three family members sat down to eat. They bowed their heads to pray before they ate, speaking every now and again to prevent silence. Linnea started it off, "So, Jim, how was class today?"

"Well, school is school, but I enjoyed it. We had to fix a malfunctioning ship engine to earn our grade, and I passed with flying colors while everyone else struggled. The teacher suggested that I tutor the other students."

"Well, you always did have a gift for machines, and I hope one day, our children do too."

"...Yeah. I mean, we did try to conceive one on our honeymoon, but I guess it didn't work. We can keep trying, though, until-"

"There's something I have to tell you, Jim." Linnea interrupted as Jim asked, "What is it? Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine. It's just...You just said you tried to conceive a child with me on our honeymoon, right?"

"Yes? I did say that...What does this have to do with what you're gonna tell me?"

"Jim, the intimacy did work. We HAVE conceived a child, your child...Jim, I'm pregnant." Linnea grinned as Jim dropped his fork, trying his best to comprehend what Linnea just said as he looked at her in pure shock. Linnea giggled at her husband before she asked, "You're not mad, are you?"

Jim shook his head and his arms as he replied, "No! No! No! No! I'm happy for you, but it's so soon in our marriage. I'm just worried that I'm not ready for it. My dad never was-"

"You're your father's son, not your father himself."

"But, his blood flows through my veins."

"Don't forget that Sarah's blood flows through your veins too, and she's always been there for you. Jim, I know you'll be a great father to this child because you love me, right?"

"Yes, always have and always will."

"Then, you'll love our child because half of me will be in them. They need you, Jim, just as I need you. Please, Jim...At least give this a chance." Linnea pleaded before Jim ran his hand through his hair, smiled at Linnea, and pulled her close, "Every man has their doubts, but you have cleared the path of my future. My father was never ready for it even though he loved us, but even though I don't feel ready, I'll step up to the challenge. I know it's hard the first time, so I intend to journey down this road with you, if you'll accompany me."

"...Of course, Jim. I need you during my pregnancy."

"And I'll help in any way possible. I won't abandon you or the child because I love you."

"I love you too..." Linnea whispered as she kissed Jim and let him sniff her vanilla-scented hair as he touched her belly. Linnea giggled at the touch while Sarah smiled, "Linnea, darling, you will need lots of rest and nutrition for this pregnancy, so I suggest that you wait a couple months before working again."

"I can still work even if I'm pregnant. I'll just cook meals and serve drinks or something. I still wanna work until I'm bed-ridden again or my due date comes, okay?"

Sarah sighed deeply, knowing she wasn't gonna win before she nodded in agreement, "Okay, Linnea...You may work until you are no longer able. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"Okay..." Linnea beamed before Jim felt her belly again, "So, Linny, what's the child gonna be?"

"I don't know yet. It's still a surprise."

"How far along are you?"

"Hmm...I think two weeks minimum, but we won't know the gender until I'm seven months along. We have six and half months before the gender is revealed...What would you like it to be?"

"Well, I would like a son so I can do better than my father, but I wouldn't mind a girl because I'd protect her with my life...To be honest, as long as it's healthy, I don't care what gender it is. And you?"

"Same thing. I don't care if it's male or female, just as long as it's healthy." Linnea replied as Jim kissed her again. The fuzzy, heart-warming moment lasted long into the night until the family went to bed, thinking of baby names and how they'd break the news to their friends. In her sleep, Linnea decided to contact her family back home and invite Doppler and his family to a dinner party the next day so she could tell them while Jim, in his sleep, decided to try to contact Silver if he could find him.

At the dinner party, Linnea revealed her secret to the canine and feline, causing the two to congratulate the pregnant siren. They wished for only the best for the married couple, as did Linnea's family when they heard the news. Linnea's family even told her that the society had changed from patriarchal to a gender-equal society after the men & women who were against the marriage law heard Linnea's tale. This pleased Linnea because her wishes were coming true and home was as it should've been, considering the government of the sirens was impeached by the people who put them there. However, Linnea would get a mysterious letter that would shock her and Jim before the pregnancy.

Linnea was outside on the porch one morning when a female siren came swimming up to the beach. Linnea walked to the beach alone, loaded pistol in hand, as she saw the siren. The siren had strawberry-blonde hair, fair skin, turquoise eyes, and a turquoise tail, and yes, she was Linnea's foster sister, Aqua. Aqua, now in human form, handed Linnea a note in a bottle as she replied, "I came to visit, little sis! How've you been?"

"I've been doing fine, Aqua. What's that you got there?"

"A friend of yours wanted to give you this in person, but he was unable to come himself. He sent me instead. This is for you and Jim to read."

"Aqua, are you visiting long?"

"Just for a few days, but then, I'm going home...I'll take any reply letters to this one back to your friend on my way back."

"Who gave this to you?"

"Can't tell you...You read it." Aqua smirked as Linnea opened the letter, reading it carefully before she realized who sent it. She was overcome with joy to see the letter, and she had to read it to Jim when he got home.

Jim came home promptly at five o' clock at night where Linnea and Morph waited for him in the dining room. They kissed before she replied, "Jim, we have a letter from a good friend. I wanted to wait until you got home before I read it aloud."

"Go on, read it..."

"' Dear Jimbo, Linnea, fair lassie, and Morphy,

I'm pleased to see yeh lovebirds married fer life! Yeh make a lovely couple and I only wish for the best for yeh two. I heard from Linnea's fair family that she was bearing yer children, Jimbo, so I congratulate you fer yer milestone in life. Yeh two are gonna rattle the stars and yer children will too. I'm sorry I couldn't deliver this message meself, but I promise to see yeh again. I'll return in a few months to stay until that pretty baby is here, but then, I must leave. As they say, true sailors never give up a good adventure, but when they do, goods things happen to them. I must see yer mum's inn for meself, so as I said, I'll come in a few months.

Linnea, fair lassie, stay healthy and out of trouble as long as yeh are bearing yer child and Jimbo, take care of the fair lassie for me. And me dear Morphy, take care of those pups for me. I wanna see yeh all happy and healthy when I come. Take care of yerselves!

-Captain John Silver.'"

Jim and Linnea closed their eyes as they remembered their dear friend before they each wrote reply letters; after all, Aqua was gonna return the letters to Silver when she found him, and Silver even said that he'd visit until the baby was born. After the letters were written, Linnea put them in the bottle she received before she and Jim ate, put Silver's letter on the nightstand, and went to sleep.

1st Trimester:

The first trimester is always the hardest, filled with doubt, worry, and stress for both mother and family. Luckily, Linnea had good friends to help her get through her pregnancy in a simple, healthy way. Since Amelia and Sarah had been there and done that, they knew how to help Linnea; Sarah was lucky to only give birth to one child, Amelia gave birth to four. Linnea was worried that the pain during childbirth would be unbearable, but Dr. Rogers would be there to help her, along with her family. Linnea started to have morning sickness, but it wasn't as bad or frequent as it was the first two weeks of pregnancy, so Linnea and her family didn't worry about the sickness. Linnea did, however, exhibit signs of food cravings for different items, so her diet was changed to make sure she ate healthy foods along with her food cravings. Jim even pitched in to help by taking time to rebuild his old crib in an unused guest room of the inn (on the family's side of the inn), buying paint and furniture for the nursery, and dragging out his old toys for the expected baby. Once the nursery was finished, he showed it to Linnea, who was surprised by the craftsmanship of the room. Overall, Linnea was very healthy during pregnancy and her family was very happy to see her in such a good mood during this time.

2nd Trimester:

The second trimester was a little more relaxed than the first trimester, but it was still filled with a little stress for both mother and family. By this point, Linnea was showing more of a bulge in her belly, stopped having morning sickness, and was almost always tired all the time. She still had food cravings from time to time, and her diet remained changed. Linnea's foster family moved in by this time to make sure that Linnea was healthy, but Silver still hadn't arrived yet; despite the fact that the cyborg hadn't shown up yet, hope was not lost yet. Jim and Linnea strongly believed that he'd come because he didn't break promises, especially after meeting the couple. Jim showered his family, especially Linnea, with his great love and attention every day after his days at the academy. Each time was different yet warm and fuzzy each time to the siren, who had never been treated with so much love before. Overall, the second trimester was going okay for both family and mother, and it would be until the due date.

3rd Trimester:

The third trimester was the crowning moment of love and affection for the mother and her husband. Linnea continued to remain healthy throughout her nine months, and she would until her due date. At last, Silver came to visit and was happy to see his friends again, causing a great moment of friendship and joy to occur between the former comrades. However, for Linnea and Jim, the heart-warming affection of this trimester was at its climax, especially when they were alone in their bedroom at night. One moment was particularly heart-warming for both mother and father and it went something like this:

Jim and Linnea were laying on their bed, asleep after a long day until Linnea woke up. A faint kick was felt against Linnea's inner walls as she woke up, her brown hair cascading like a curtain in front of her eyes while the siren rubbed sleep from her sapphire orbs. Linnea felt the kick again before she woke Jim up, tapping his shoulder gingerly as he opened his eyes. Jim propped up on his elbows before he sat Indian-style and gave Linnea a look of awe as she placed his hands against her shirt, letting the sailor boy feel her belly as another kick was felt. Jim smiled wide as tears leaked from Linnea's eyes, causing him to wipe the cascading tears away as he kissed his magical wife, "I love you, Linny..."

"I love you so much, Jim...Hmm, the child takes after you. Full of hidden strength when it kicks; it never lets me rest at night."

"Maybe it wants to hear your voice. I have a strong feeling that he likes to hear you."

"Maybe...But, I strongly believe he likes his father's voice too. That was a guess without using a psychic power."

"I know..."

"You wanna say hi to our child?"

"Uh, huh..." Jim nodded before Linnea propped up on her elbows, resting her back against the pillows as she felt Jim cup her belly. Jim pressed his nose against the pregnancy bulge as Linnea stroked his brown hair, keeping him close to her womb as Jim spoke to his unborn child, "Hello...Hello, in there. This is your father, Jim...Your mom is a siren, dear one, a mermaid to be exact. Hopefully, you'll be one too."

"I don't think he knows what that is."

"So? We can always teach him."

"Touché...Continue. I think he likes it. He's kicking more."

"...That was your mom's voice, little one. Her name is Linnea, and she's the most beautiful, talented, intelligent, courageous woman I've ever known. We went on a long journey together, and when you're born, I'll tell you our tale of adventure and romance...I love you and your mother so much, and I want you to know that..."

"We both love you too, Jim..." Linnea replied as she wiped silent tears from her eyes. Jim smiled at his wife before he pulled her shirt over her bump, letting the cool air hit it as he kissed the cocoon protecting his child. It didn't matter if this seemed cheesy to others or not; Linnea and Jim just wanted to show affection to their unborn child before the birth. Jim cupped the bulge with his hands as he kissed Linnea's belly, nuzzling the delicate cocoon with his nose as he showered the mother and baby with genuine affection. In that moment, Jim decided that he wouldn't abandon or fail the mother and child like his own father did; he was nothing like Leland and he never would be, so he decided to step up to the challenge of parenthood as he continued to kiss Linnea's bump. After a few moments, Jim kissed the bump one last time before he put the shirt over the flesh again, kissed Linnea on the lips, and held her in his arms as they slept peacefully through the night...

**Please Review!**


	14. A New Arrival

Chapter 14: A New Arrival

Jim and Linnea spent a quiet evening in Doppler's house with Silver and their family. The interstellar academy allowed all of their students to return to their families for three months before classes started up again in the fall, just like with regular school, and that included Jim. Doppler wanted Jim to take some time off, so he suggested that the married couple spend some time in his house. Jim agreed to the request and stayed in the large house with Amelia, the infants, Doppler, Sarah, Silver, Morph, and Linnea; B.E.N and Jess, as well as Linnea's foster family, could look after the inn for a week or so until the Hawkins family returned.

Silver looked after Jim and Linnea, proud to be a part of the lives of his protégés. Linnea slept in Jim's arms on a nearby sofa before she felt a familiar thump against her stomach. She beckoned for everyone to come near her and feel the baby's kicks. By this point, she should've known what the gender of her child was, but she decided to keep it secret until her due date; her due date was two weeks away, but the baby was becoming very active nowadays. However, when Linnea asked Silver to feel the bulge, he started shedding tears as he laughed. Jim and Linnea laughed with the cyborg, drying his tears with their hands until Linnea gasped in pain.

"Lassie, yeh feelin all right?" Silver asked as he held Linnea's hand before Jim leant down to see if Linnea was okay, "Linny, are you okay? Do we need to get Dr. Rogers?"

Linnea shook her head as she answered with a smile, "Oh no, I'm fine. Just some slight pain from the kicking, that's all. I'll be fi-ahh!"

"Linny!"

"Ohh...I'm fine, Jim. Just help me up, please." Linnea grinned as Jim hopped off the couch and grabbed the hand of his magical wife, helping her get to her feet as carefully and quickly as humanly possible. Linnea stood up perfectly straight, pushing her back with her hands to balance the pain of her extra weight as she looked up at Jim and smiled. However, Linnea felt another sharp pain before a clear fluid fell down her bare legs, soaking her underwear and the skirt of her dress as Silver asked, "What is that? Water?!"

Morph turned into a miniature version of Linnea as he showed what was happening: Morph got up from a sofa, acted surprised when he saw water in between his legs, pushed hard as he grasped a hand, screaming, and gave birth to a baby before turning back into a pink blob.

Amelia looked to Doppler as she looked on, "Honey, I think that blob's onto something...I'll get the doctor! I think that baby is coming right now!" Doppler tried to find the words to answer his feline wife, but she already grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

Doppler stood in the center of the room, trying to come up with a solution to this sudden birth before Sarah ordered the men around, "Jim, get Linnea to the nearest bedroom now! Doppler, find some sedatives in your room to numb the labor pains. Silver, get lots of water and rags. Let's go, go, go, people! Babies don't have all day to wait, and neither does the mother!"

The men did as Sarah asked before Doppler injected a sedative into Linnea's arm, numbing her pains temporarily. Doppler asked everyone to put on some 'doctor' gloves to make sure Linnea and the child didn't get ill before he sat on a stool in between the siren's legs. Linnea grasped the hands of Jim and Sarah as she whispered, "I don't blame you for this...Just don't leave."

Jim stroked his fingers in his wife's, sweat-drenched hair as he answered, smiling, "I...will never leave you or my child. I'm not like my father...I love you and I always will, just stay strong right now. You'll need all your strength to deliver such a strong child."

Linnea nodded at Jim before Doppler commanded, "Well, the doctor's not here, so we'll do this ourselves until he arrives...Linnea, on the count of three, push as hard as your body allows you to...One, two, three!"

"Push, Lassie!" Silver joined in as Linnea screamed and pushed, clutching Jim and Sarah's hands as tightly as possible, "AHHHH!" Linnea squeezed the hands until they turned white before Doppler commanded, "Again!"

"AHHHH!"

"Linny, I'm sorry this hurts you, but it'll be over soon, I promise." Jim apologized genuinely as Linnea shook her head, "No...don't blame yourself. I don't blame you-AHHHH! AHHHH!"

"Push, honey! Push!" Sarah shouted as Linnea did so, screaming at the top of her soprano lungs as the group looked on in worry. This was even scarring and frightening to Silver and Morph, who had never seen a live birth take place even though heard about them. Linnea screamed for a few moments, at least an hour before Doppler cheered, "The baby's head is out! Just a few more pushes and you'll see your child soon. Keep up the strength, Linnea."

"Yeh can do it, lassie! Yeh suffered far worse than this!" Silver chanted as Linnea screamed a few more times as she pushed. She screamed some more until a baby's cry was heard. She rested her head on Jim's shoulder out of fatigue as Doppler beamed, "Here it is! Your baby daughter..." Jim and Linnea exchanged glances before they shared a kiss and grabbed their new baby girl. The girl was wrapped in a warm, pink blanket before Doppler handed the newborn to the beaming parents.

Linnea clutched the blanket in her arms as Jim rested on the bed beside her; the child had Linnea's blue eyes and skin, but she had Jim's pin straight, dark brown hair and smile as she reached up for her parents. Linnea gave the baby her finger as the baby took it, sucking on the digit as the tired yet happy parents smiled at their little girl. Linnea beckoned for everyone to come near her as she introduced the bundle to her friends. A couple minutes later, Amelia rushed to the house with Dr. Rogers, who were both amazed by how healthy mother and baby were. After the real doctor examined Linnea and her daughter, he left the family alone to bond with the child.

Doppler and Amelia looked at the child in wonder as the former captain remarked, "She's a beauty! The kids will become her playmates when they're older, right, Doppler?"

"Yes, dear."

Sarah looked on at her newborn grandchild as she asked, "So, what are you two gonna name her?" This caused Jim and Linnea to look up at each other and think real hard about a good name. Jim and Linnea had been on many adventures and tackled many, dangerous trials all for a great treasure. The treasure wasn't 'the loot of a thousand worlds,' but it was the people they cherished; now, a new member had joined this family as a new treasure, a jewel in her parent's eyes. Linnea looked at Jim, inspired as she exclaimed, "Mairin! It's a name that means 'star of the sea' in my language and yours...Do you like Mairin?"

Jim pondered it as he smiled, kissing his sapphire siren, "I love it! Mairin," Jim called out to the girl, causing the baby to smile. Jim kissed his daughter's forehead before he stated, "I just hope she's a siren like you."

"I can feel her power...She only has half of my siren blood in her veins, the other half is your human blood. She will become a child of land and sea, and when her powers awaken, I'll be there to teach her how to control them. I'll need your help too, Jim; she needs to know how to use human machinery too."

"Well, I'm your guy..." Jim grinned as Linnea smiled up at her husband before Silver remarked with a jolly laugh, "She'll rattle th' stars, she will! She'll have light in her sails, like you two!"

"I'm sure she will. We have high hopes for her," Linnea answered before she asked, "Would you like to hold her, Silver? It's okay."

Silver hesitated at first because he had never held a child before, and he didn't want to hurt the infant or make her sick. However, Linnea genuinely insisted, so Silver carefully scooped the baby into his real and cyborg arms. His real hand stroked the head of Jim and Linnea's child, causing the infant to giggle as Mairin reached up for Silver's cyborg fingers. She sucked on the metal digit as Silver held the precious newborn, silent tears cascading down the cyborg's face despite his efforts to prevent himself from crying. The tender moment warmed the hearts of everyone there, and when Silver quickly returned the infant to Linnea, the moment remained tender as everyone looked at this tender child.

This child would have to take the journey of life, along with Jim and Linnea, but the three would do it together. The journey of mermaid and man to Treasure Planet was over, but the journey of a child from land and sea was only beginning. One mermaid changed the history of many by coming on land for a great journey, marrying a human man, and creating a lovely half-breed from land and sea. Linnea's journey was over, but Mairin's had just begun. This half-breed would rattle the stars, just as Silver believed, and she would do it with her good friends and loving family...

~FIN~


End file.
